Updated

The speculation began in April after Wendy's rolled out its first new logo in almost three decades.

The blogosphere erupted with stories that the fast-food giant, with its new softer, slightly more abstract Wendy, had intentionally planted a subliminal message in the ruffles at the iconic redhead's neck: the word "Mom."

"Most people have a sentimental attachment to at least a few of the dishes their Mother's used to make," noted the website Stocklogos. "It should not be a surprise to see the fast-food restaurant Wendy's associating their refreshed brand with Mom's cooking."

Others wondered if the word "Mom" refers to the girl herself -- which, according to Wendy's, is founder Dave Thomas' daughter Wendy at age 8.  Some say that the girl in the new logo appears much older.

Now Wendy's has weighed in on the story and denies that it was a plant. "We are aware of this and find it interesting that it appears our Wendy cameo has 'Mom' on her ruffled collar, " Denny Lynch, Wendy's senior vice president of communications, told Business Insider this week.

Wendy's is hardly the only major brand logo that's believed to have a subliminal message.  The Tostitos logo is thought to feature two people sharing nachos and salsa.  In Baskin Robbins' logo, you can make out the number 31 in the company's initials -- that being the number of its ice cream flavors. Toblerone chocolate has a dancing bear in the mountain featured in its design.