Procter & Gamble's logo is a satanic symbol
| Procter & Gamble's logo is a satanic symbol | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "The Procter & Gamble moon-and-stars logo contains satanic symbols, and the company's president announced on a television talk show that profits go to the Church of Satan." | |
| Domain | Culture, Religion & Society |
| Tactic | Fabrication Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1980 |
| Origin | Rumors circulated from around 1980 in church bulletins and flyers, and later spread by some independent distributors for rival Amway, according to lawsuits filed by Procter & Gamble |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-27 |
| Further reading: books on Culture, Religion & Society | |
The claim that Procter & Gamble's logo is a satanic symbol dogged one of the world's largest consumer goods companies for decades. Flyers said that the logo, which showed a man-in-the-moon face and 13 stars, contained hidden numbers forming 666, and that the company's president had admitted on a talk show, variously named as Donahue or The Phil Donahue Show, that he supported Satanism. No such appearance ever occurred. Procter & Gamble received hundreds of thousands of calls about the rumor, enlisted religious leaders to refute it and filed lawsuits against people who spread it. In 1985 it removed the logo from its products. In 2007, a jury awarded the company $19.25 million in a lawsuit against former Amway distributors who had spread the rumor.
What the evidence shows
- Logo history. The moon-and-stars mark dated to the 19th century and was used on candle shipments. The 13 stars represented the original American colonies.
- No talk show appearance. Producers of the talk shows mentioned in the rumor confirmed that no Procter & Gamble executive had appeared to discuss Satanism.
- Response. The company publicized letters from evangelical leaders, including Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell, refuting the rumor.
- Lawsuits. Procter & Gamble sued several Amway distributors over the rumor. The 2007 verdict in Utah found four former distributors liable for spreading it.
Why it persists
The rumor tapped into fears of hidden satanic influence that were widespread during the 1980s "satanic panic." Ambiguous symbols are easy to reinterpret, and the claim of a public confession gave it a false appearance of evidence.
Lessons for readers
- Look for evidence of the event a rumor describes, such as a broadcast.
- Hidden symbols can be read into almost any design.
- Commercial rivals may spread damaging rumors.
- False rumors can persist for decades despite repeated debunking.
See also
- Satanic ritual abuse at the McMartin Preschool
- Rock records contain hidden satanic messages played backward
- Dungeons & Dragons leads players to Satanism and suicide
Sources
- Frederick Koenig, Rumor in the Marketplace: The Social Psychology of Commercial Hearsay (Auburn House, 1985).
- Associated Press reporting on the Procter & Gamble verdict against former Amway distributors, March 2007.