The Swoosh is the logo of which famous company?
Were you fooled?
Myths and stories behind famous brands: Are they true?
Can you tell fact from fiction when it comes to major brands? Some stories sound too wild to be true—a $35 logo that became iconic, a soda once laced with cocaine, a chocolate tycoon who dodged the Titanic. In this article, your challenge is to guess whether the myths are true or false before we decode them. Ready to play Fact or Fiction?
Image: Ana Dvoranen
Nike’s Swoosh was created for $35
Yes, it was. The iconic Nike swoosh was sketched in 1971 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student, for the grand sum of $35. She was helping out a friend—Nike co-founder Phil Knight—who needed a logo for his up-and-coming sneaker brand.
Years later, as Nike soared, the company gave her a thank-you gift: a gold swoosh ring and stock options that ended up being worth millions.
Image: Shubham Mittal
Coca-Cola originally contained cocaine
It sounds like an urban legend, but it’s true: early versions of Coca-Cola did contain coca leaf extract, which naturally included trace amounts of cocaine. When pharmacist John Pemberton invented the drink in 1886, it was marketed as a "brain tonic" and nerve remedy, back when cocaine was legal and considered medicinal. By 1929, the formula was fully decocainized.
Image: Olena Bohovyk
Neither Ben nor Jerry had any previous business experience
Absolutely. Longtime friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield took a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making from Penn State and launched their first scoop shop in a converted gas station in Vermont in 1978.
Image: Hybrid Storytellers
Barbie was based on a German adult doll
True! She sure was. In the 1950s, Ruth Handler spotted a German novelty doll called Bild Lilli while on vacation. Originally sold as a gag gift for men, Lilli was fashionable, curvy, and definitely not meant for children. But Handler saw potential: she reimagined Lilli as a stylish role model for girls, and the first Barbie debuted in 1959.
Image: Peyman Shojaei
Milton Hershey missed the Titanic voyage
He definitely wasn’t on board—lucky for him! But just how close he came to sailing is uncertain. Legend has it that Milton Hershey and his wife were set to sail on the Titanic in 1912, but canceled at the last minute.
The only clue? A check stub showing a $300 deposit to the White Star Line. While there’s no confirmed ticket, the story has stuck.
Image: Janne Simoes
GM hated (and banned) the nickname "Chevy"
This one is partially true. In 2010, GM sent a memo urging employees to stop using the nickname "Chevy" in favor of the full "Chevrolet." The public backlash was swift—critics called the move tone-deaf. After all, "Chevy" was beloved, catchy, and woven into Americana.
Within days, the company backpedaled, assuring fans that "Chevy" wasn’t going anywhere. You just can’t mess with a nickname that’s already set in people’s hearts.
Image: Jose Mueses
Apple was named after the forbidden fruit
Not quite. Steve Jobs chose the name "Apple" in 1976 because it sounded "fun, spirited, and not intimidating." It also gave the young company a strategic edge—it came before "Atari" in the phone book, which mattered in the era of printed directories.
Image: TheRegisti
Starbucks was named after Moby Dick’s first mate
Yes, though it was a winding path. The founders were searching for a name that evoked the seafaring tradition of coffee trading. After toying with "Pequod" (Captain Ahab’s ship), they landed on "Starbuck"—the first mate in Moby-Dick and a name with a strong, classic ring to it.
Image: Athar Khan
Harley-Davidson was going bankrupt, but its logo saved it
This one is sort of true. In the early 1980s, Harley-Davidson was revving on empty. The rise of Japanese bikes had them cornered—until the brand leaned hard into nostalgia. The bar-and-shield logo, dating back to 1910, became the centerpiece of a marketing push built on American pride, leather jackets, and the unmistakable growl of a V-twin engine.
It worked. The logo became a badge of rebellion, and Harley rebounded.
Image: Donald Teel
There’s an arrow hidden in FedEx’s logo
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. Look closely between the "E" and the "x" in the FedEx logo—there’s a white arrow formed by the negative space. It’s a perfect symbol for speed, direction, and efficiency.
The logo was designed in 1994 by Lindon Leader, and the hidden arrow was no accident. It’s a subtle nod to the company’s core promise: to get it there fast.
Image: Toni Pomar
"Breakfast at Tiffany’s" launched the brand
False! Breakfast at Tiffany’s didn’t launch the brand. Tiffany & Co. had been around since 1837, known for fine jewelry and that iconic blue box. However, after the 1961 film, Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress and wistful gaze into the Tiffany’s shop window helped cement the brand’s image of elegance.
Image: Sam Lashbrooke
Levi’s blue jeans were created for gold miners
Absolutely. In 1873, Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis patented durable denim trousers with copper rivets—perfect for miners during the California Gold Rush. The jeans were tough, practical, and ideal for the grueling work conditions out west. In time, what began as rugged workwear became an American icon.
Image: Varun Gaba
Amazon was named after "the biggest river"
Yes, it was intentional. Jeff Bezos wanted a name that conveyed vastness, exoticism, and would appear early in web listings. "Amazon" fit the bill—although it could have been named "Nile," which is often cited as the world’s longest river. Bezos liked the idea of building the biggest online store in the world, just like the Amazon is the biggest river by volume.
Image: Sunrise King
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