Ancient Greek and Roman art has greatly influenced modern society. One example is in
advertising. In order to be successful in selling a product, one must offer a cultured, powerful
image to the market. The Greeks and the Romans established their power throughout the known
world; thus, their evident power and success is used as a marketing strategy to demonstrate
innovation and top of the line production. These Greek and Roman symbols represent certain
qualities that are enticing to a customer and portray a certain image. Many of today's most
famous corporate logos can trace their roots back to Greek and Roman mythology. Popular
companies that use Greek and Roman symbols in their advertisements include Starbucks, the
FTD Florist, Goodyear, Mobil Oil, and Versace.
In 1971, Starbucks was founded in Seattle--a port city with a long history of sea faring.
Starbucks wanted to capture this image to commemorate their beginnings. To create an alluring
and familiar image, Starbucks used the siren as the company’s symbol. The siren is a sea creature
in Greek mythology. Sirens are mysterious and beautiful, and are thought to lure men to their
deaths with their hypnotic singing. This image supports Starbucks and gives their company a
mysterious and dream-like quality.
The FTD Florist company began in 1910 when 15 florists agreed to exchange orders for
out of town deliveries. It was originally named the “Florists’ Telegraph Delivery”, and was the
first flower by wire service. In 1914, the golden Mercury man symbol was adopted. This symbol
was inspired from the Greek god Hermes, also known as Mercury to the Romans. Mercury’s
winged shoes made him the fastest messenger in Olympia. The FTD Florist company uses
Mercury to represent quality, efficiency and speediness. Mercury, or Hermes, is used as a symbol
in other companies, such as Goodyear, as well.
When Goodyear was established in 1898, the founder, Frank Seiberling, was certain that
the Roman god Mercury represented the attractive qualities Goodyear was known for. To use
this symbol would describe the company as a fast and efficient service. Seiberling wanted the
company to bring a positive image, so the Wingfoot symbol was introduced as Goodyear’s
official logo in 1900. The Wingfoot symbol is used to portray speediness and quality, as Mercury
was the herald of good news.
Mobil Oil has its roots in South Africa, when it began as a small company by the name of
Vacuum Oil Company. The company was founded in 1911, and the red Pegasus logo was
copyrighted. Other symbols were used before the Pegasus became famous with MobilOil, but the
Pegasus proved to be a more enduring image. In Greek mythology, the Pegasus was a winged
horse that carried thunderbolts for Zeus. This is a strong, iconic image. Mobil Oil wanted a
powerful connotation, and the Pegasus brought the company great publicity. In 1934, a 35 by 40
foot red glowing Pegasus was built. The symbol has rotated high above the city for decades, as
innovations in the oil industry developed further and further. The red Pegasus is very
recognizable, and is unique to Mobil Oil. This logo was used to provide a powerful and strong
image to the public.
The Versace clothing design company began in Milan, Italy in 1978 under the name
Gianni Versace Donna. Versace was obsessed with beauty and the concept of fashion. He found
ways to display a woman’s curves in celebration, rather than hide them in shame. Versace chose
the Medusa head as his logo for his company. Medusa was a creature so terrifying that when a
man looked at her, he turned to stone. Versace was at first intrigued by Medusa when he learned
of her original beauty. She was once so beautiful that no man would touch her, except for Zeus.
Zeus lusted after Medusa, when Athena learned of Zeus’s desires, she turned Medusa into a
hideous creature with snakes for hair. Versace was inspired by the ancient story of beauty and
lust. He used the Medusa head to conjure an image of vanity. When wearing Versace clothing, a
woman is to be proud and untouchable.
Advertising is an ever-changing business. To keep up with growing demand, producers
must use images in their advertisements that not only are familiar and effective, but powerful and
iconic as well. This is why many companies use ancient Greek and Roman symbols in the
modern market. Ancient Greek and Roman symbols demonstrate the power and success of the
past. Symbols such as the siren are alluring and mysterious, they add a sense of wonder and
intrigue to a company’s image. Mercury represents speediness and efficiency. Other symbols
may represent the same qualities, but ancient Greek and Roman lore are familiar and old, which
offer a higher sense of trust within the consumer than a newer symbol might. These are
techniques that are still effective today in capturing the modern eye today..