The Representation of a Logo in Memory: A Study of Recall and Recognition of the Google Logo

ABSTRACT The Google logo is one of the most frequently encountered visual stimuli in the digital world. This study experimentally examines Internet users' recall and recognition performance of the Google logo. Building upon prior research focused mainly on structural design elements, this study broadens the scope by integrating color as a key factor. Participants performed better in the recognition phase than in the recall phase. Notably, none of the 200 participants were able to reproduce the logo accurately. A significant number of participants correctly recalled the colors of Google, but were unable to establish the association between colors and letters. Despite a decade of exposure to the current Google logo, participants more often selected the previous version during recognition. Consistent with previous findings on inattentional amnesia and attentional saturation, this study advances the field by demonstrating how these effects manifest when color—a previously underexplored dimension—is emphasized.