Mike
The best design doesn’t scream for attention—it just works, and makes you feel like the world might not be a total mess after all.
I’ve put together some of the smartest, most clever design choices that are so subtle, you might miss just how brilliant they are.
From tiny details that make life easier to elegant solutions hiding in plain sight, these are genius designs that quietly do their job and do it well.
1. The design on the logo’s toga are the initials for the company.
2. The Parthenon barcode on a Greek yogurt.
3. Railing with Braille on it to describe the view.
4. Monhole covers in Oklahoma have a dot showing where you are.
5. This wok has marking in the center for oil measurement.
6. In Japan, They Put A Barcode In The Meat Package That Darkens When The Meat Spoils, Reacting To Ammonia. When It Darkens, The Barcode Is Unreadable
7. Simple but clever ad for organ donation.
8. The logo double as a Spartan helmet and face.
9. A little hook that keeps you protein power scoop from getting buried.
10. The manhole covers at the Nikon camera factory look like lens caps.
11. These tires show when you should replace them as they wear down.
12. The clever business card design for a divorce lawyer.
13. Glove packaging has finger hole cutouts to test sizing.
14. Really great minimalist billboard ad.
15. Billboard for Dracula that uses light in a clever way.
16. Airplane seats with a cleverly placed step so shorter passengers can reach their overhead bags.
17. Measuring cups that show amounts in fractions.
18. Tags on marathon runner clothing that have a little extra strip of fabric so the tags are scratchy when you cut them off.
19. Billboard that shows the rising water using the sun.
20. Decaf coffee logo is slightly more tired.
21. Different baskets for which shopping experience you’d prefer.
22. A park bench with an adjustable back so you can sit facing either direction.
23. Wine from Chile
24. The cover for 1984.
25. Ad when viewed from above makes people look like fleas.
26. All the hooks and shelves you’ll ever need.
27. This beer bucket with a bottle opener built in.
28. These stools at a burger joint that turn into a burger when stacked.
29. This Pepsi ad.
30. Baby clothes that have a different colored button so you always line it up correctly.
31. A park bench on a track so you can slide it into the shade.
32. The bottom button has orange thread so you don’t miss a button.
33. Ramen place with spoons that have a little hook so it doesn’t fall in.
34. These subtle tiles at the postal museum.
35. Spatula with a little built in stand.
