A logo conspiracy theory is recirculating online, and this may be the most ridiculous one yet. According to some imaginative thinkers, the supermarket Lidl is hiding a secret design in its logo. What’s this subliminal image, you may ask? Well, it’s a dog playing a piano, of course.
Okay, hear me out. Obviously, the Lidl logo isn’t actually hiding a secret pooch, but ever since I heard this theory, I haven’t been able to unsee the pianist hound. With iconic brands like Toblerone hiding a bear in its logo, it’s not completely unfounded, but in this case, I believe it’s just a wholesome, happy accident.
The Lidl logo is pretty innocuous at first glance – a simple wordmark with serif flourishes and a bright, primary colour palette. So where is the hound? Take a close look between the ‘L’ and the titled ‘I’, and hopefully you should be able to see the little pooch tinkling the ivories in a side-on position. Personally, I’d say the dog resembles a terrier, but it certainly requires a bit of imagination to see, so don’t be deterred if it takes a sec to click into place.
If you’re a certified logo fan, you’ll know that hidden motifs aren’t anything new, but often they’re intentional – take the Tango rebrand, or the Hot Wheels logo, for instance. While the humble piano-playing Lidl dog is unconfirmed, it’s silly enough that I wish it were true.
