An Apple for an Apple
CGD 218

Apple “A sign is anything that stands for something else...Logos are designs that are used to stand for and help reinforce the identity of a corporation” (Berger, page 49-50). Apple has achieved just that, by using an apple as their logo. However, the use of an apple can go so much deeper than just a logo-it is an indexical sign, causing consumers to feel loyalty, trust, and an association with knowledge. I first remember seeing the logo of an apple in grade school on old computers manufactured by Macintosh, the same corporation that is known today as “Apple”. For centuries, apples have been associated with knowledge. For example, Isaac Newton used an apple in his famous experiment, students often gift their favorite teachers apples, and “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” anecdote to follow for a healthy life. It is only fitting that a company would capitalize on this infamous fruit and associate it with technology-especially a company that is as cutting-edge as Apple. In this way, the apple is an indexical sign which logically connects it to what it represents-knowledge (Berger, page 49). The logo itself uses very simple graphics and design elements-basically the logo is just an apple with space between the actual fruit and the stem. The open, blank, or “white”, space between the fruit and the stem represents wealth, and in this case a wealth of knowledge (Berger, page 77). By using just one color for the apple (white or black depending on the background) with no shadow, Apple has strong lighting which causes the observer to feel knowledgeable and rational (Berger, page 81). The last element of the logo is the shape of the apple itself which is a variation of a circle. According to our text, circles represent endlessness, warmth and protection (Berger, page 75), all of which cause the consumer to trust the company and