You may have noticed it at some point: the silhouette of a bear in Toblerone’s iconic logo. However, for a young 10-year-old, this is not something he noticed by chance. After looking closely at the chocolate bar’s colorful wrapper, he realized that an image was actually hidden inside and his discovery was shared around the world! Together with his mum, they realized that the famous Swiss candy company had cleverly included a small tribute to their beloved country in their logo – the Bern bear. Let’s take a closer look at why Theodore Tobler chose to include this particular illustration in the brand emblem and why this new discovery has taken over the web!
The children never cease to amaze us!
A mum recently tweeted the amazing conversation she had with her little one following a mind-blowing discovery by the young boy of a bear nestled in the logo of the renowned Swiss brand ‘Toblerone’.
She said: “After he had his first Toblerone candy bar, he asked me, what is this bear for? I didn’t know what it was, I exclaimed: What a bear! to this day, I didn’t know there was a bear in the Toblerone logo.
What is the story behind this bear?
Toblerone is a classic Swiss chocolate renowned for its triangular shape, delicious taste and the iconic bear hidden in its logo. The history of the bear dates back to 1908, when Theodore Tobler created this treat – with the help of his cousin Emil Baumann – and designed its legendary logo, which featured the silhouette of a mountain and a small bear on the interior. This logo symbolized the city of Bern, Switzerland, where Tobler was from: the dark silhouette of the peak was meant to represent Mount Matterhorn, located near Bern, and the hidden bear represented the coat of arms of their canton. Fun fact: Bern is sometimes nicknamed the “city of bears” due to their frequent presence in many places, including this beloved chocolate corner!
How did they come up with the idea of including such a particular symbol?
The iconic logo for the Toblerone chocolate bar, a silhouette of a bear surrounded by jagged peaks, was designed by Emil Cardinals in 1908. Cardinals was inspired by the Matterhorn mountain in his native Switzerland, which appeared to have a shape similar to the golden, crunchy bars created by Theodor Tobler. In fact, Toblerone is derived from “Theodor” and “torrone”, an Italian almond and honey nougat. It’s amazing how a simple combination of shapes can elicit such an emotional response from consumers around the world. Today, the distinct triangular shape of the traditional Toblerone chocolate bar is instantly recognizable and synonymous with luxury and pleasure.
Toblerone has therefore become a renowned brand with hidden meaning.
The Toblerone logo has certainly stood the test of time, as it has remained essentially the same since its inception over a century ago. The same goes for its iconic packaging: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Although it has remained unchanged, Toblerone’s brand image has managed to stay in style and on trend. She seems to have mastered the art of timelessness and maneuverability. So much so that this ubiquitous treat is trending again among logo trends. They really showed their ability to stay in the game with this one!
Toblerone teaches us lessons!
It’s hard to imagine that something as simple as a hidden image in Toblerone’s logo could have such significance, but it teaches us an important lesson about observation and attention to detail. Of course, the young boy who noticed this bear will have a lot of good things ahead of him. For businesses, it shows that when you spend time on certain elements of your brand, such as logos and visuals, consumers take the time to consider them, sometimes in unexpected ways. Toblerone showed its own spirit of innovation by creating a logo with such a subtle charm, intended to be appreciated by all (even the youngest observers). Those who notice these little touches are sure to establish a connection with the brand; in return, Toblerone has remained in our minds for years to this day!
