10 honeycomb brand logos that will eliminate you from Squid Game

In the latest of brands' frenzy over the Netflix show Squid Game, UK-based online printing service Solopress is challenging fans of the show with some of the most globally recognised yet intricate logo designs ever created. This adds a new layer of tension to the show's sugar honeycombs game which will almost certainly result in elimination for all who dare to attempt them. The logos have been ranked on their difficulty levels as well: Certain death, bordering impossible, unfavourable odds, stranger things have happened, and get licking.

According to Solopress, the idea for the list comes on the heels of a social media craze over the sugar honeycombs game which skyrocketed in popularity. Google Trends data showed interest for “sugar honeycomb” in Singapore and Malaysia increase from zero to 100 within a week from the series’ release.

One of the logos featured by Solopress was Gucci, which presents "unfavourable odds" and has an estimated completion time of 16 minutes. The "G"s of Guccio Gucci create a chain link, representing the double loops of infinity and suitably capturing the timeless luxury of the brand. While it may seem simple, the interlocking "G"s will prove to be a huge obstacle for players," Solopress said. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Solopress for additional information.

Check out the list of brand logos deemed near-impossible to pass. Do you have what it takes to survive the game?

1. Unilever

With a difficulty level of certain death, Solopress estimates that the logo will take 51 minutes to complete. The company's latest U-shaped logo, symbolic of the brand's "vitality mission", was conceptualised in 2004. The intricacy of the design comes from 25 individual symbols representing bioscience, beauty, nutrition and more, that are pieced together to create the "U" shape.

2. Mulberry

Even though Solopress estimates 13 minutes to complete the Mulberry logo, it has been ranked as certain death. Both the Mulberry name and logo were inspired by its founder Roger Saul’s childhood memories of passing mulberry trees on the way to school. The mulberry tree image, designed by his sister Rosemary, is highly delicate and fragmented in its appearance, indicating that any carvings of the design in Squid Game would almost certainly result in a bloody demise.

3. Starbucks

Starbucks' logo has been deemed to be bordering impossible, with a completion time of 45 minutes. According to Starbucks, the nautical motif depicted in its logo was created to “evoke coffee’s allure and its seafaring tradition”. Starbucks’ in-house design team and global brand consultancy agency, Lippincott, collaborated on the 2011 redesign of the logo, which remains to be instantly recognisable to consumers; with its iconic twin-tailed siren denoting the brand’s ties to Seattle and the sea. 

4. Bank of America

The Bank of America's logo is estimated to take 14 minutes to complete, yet it was ranked as bordering impossible. The recent logo designed in 2018 by Lippincott is clean, minimal, and optimised for digital use. However, its six interlocking stripes, which represent the facets and colour palette of the US flag, present a daunting endeavour for anyone planning to take on this design with their dalgona candy and scraper.

5. LG

LG presents unfavourable odds, which takes 15 minutes to complete. The Korean tech company's logo is futuristic and minimal, according to Solopress. The circular shape formed by the letter’s L and G symbolises the world, future, youth, humanity and technology - all integral parts of the brand’s identity. While the design seems straightforward, the three elements of the logo are detached from one another, which is sure to get players frustrated. 

6. Toyota

Toyota is estimated to take 17 minutes to complete, with a difficulty level of bordering impossible. The brand introduced a new logo and bespoke typography in 2020, built upon the four pillars of forward-thinking, mobile-ready, a premium feel, and consistency. The logo boasts a simplified two-dimensional design adapted to excel in both the digital and physical world, while still retaining its interlocking oval motif.

7. McDonald's

Created in 1961, McDonald’s emblem features two golden arches used within the brand’s logo and adapted into a distinctive "M". With an estimated completion time of 13 minutes, players will require masterful carving skills and an inhuman level of concentration to beat the unfavourable odds.

8. Warner Brothers

Solopress ranked this logo as "Stranger things have happened". The Warner Brother’s logo features a shield with the iconic capital W and B in the centre Throughout the years, the design has retained its instantly recognizable status whilst being subtly adapted for different feature films; with over 200 variants of the logo being created in the past 15 years alone. While it sounds simple, the stepped edges of the brand's latest design will pose a challenge for players, hence the long completion time of 29 minutes. 

9. Apple

It's time to get licking with Apple! With an estimated completion time of eight minutes, Apple’s logo was designed to reflect the “fruit of creation”, according to founder Steve Jobs. Synonymous with possibility and innovation, Solopress reckons that players may just be able to complete the game by using the licking technique to increase their odds of winning.

Since the show's launch last month, many brands have also jumped on the Squid Game hype with their trendjacking, including AIA, EZ-Link, HL Milk, MyTown Shopping Centre, RHB Bank, Domino's Malaysia and YoyiC SIngapore.

At the same time, RapidKL also leveraged the chatter around Squid Game to promote its transportation card. It used one of the iconic scenes in the show set at a train station and got its talents to play a game of ddakji, a popular game among children in South Korea played using folded paper tiles.

Separately, Louis Vuitton appointed Squid Game actress Jung Ho-yeon as its new global house ambassador for fashion, watches, and jewellery. The luxury brand said on Instagram that Jung "perfectly embodies" the independent Louis Vuitton woman and embarks on the new journey with LV after first gracing the runway and being featured in a ready-to-wear campaign in 2017.

Power up your PR and communications efforts today with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's PR Asia Week on 1 and 2 December. Learn ways to build an evidence-based practice, up the ante on your strategies, and be head and shoulders above your competition. Click here to register today! 

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