Bolts

A symbol is only a representation of a thing or concept. We know a human heart looks nothing like the symbol we use to represent it. Nor does a star, or fire or a cloud. The ancient Greeks used a symbol for lightning that looks nothing like our modern-day interpretation. And our interpretation, looks nothing like the real thing. Even so, it was in abundant supply in this year’s crop of logos.

For millennia, lightning was almost exclusively looked at as a weapon or punishment from the gods. They were in charge of it and could release it at will. We’d not really fathomed the idea of electricity so it’s not surprising that the idea of a bolt representing energy, illumination or a flash of brilliance is only a recent association. The Top Hat design used lightning as a small detail that’s a universal representation of action. I like to think that these phenomenon represent an inexplicably awesome event. Stick around and it may happen again.