Untitled by Felipe Lordello

I’m sitting at lunch with friends just the other day and I was asked the question,

“What is branding?”

Branding is listening to a thirty-year old Michael Jackson song on the radio and recognizing the Eddie Van Halen guitar solo.

Branding is making a decision between using a restroom at a gas station or the restroom at a Starbucks.

Branding is being reminded of your beloved uncle when you smell pipe tobacco with a hint of cherry.

Is Branding A Logo?

Yes and no.

In many ways, branding is the connection of your sensual experiences.  When I see a Diet Coke can, I become thirsty. Why?  I remember the feel of a cold can in my hands, the sound the can makes when it pops open, the tickle down my throat, and the taste afterward.  All of those memories are tied into the Diet Coke logo.

Human history is full of seals, rings, flags, coats of arms, and crests used to distinguish families, tribes, and nations.  The human condition is curious; as much as we long for group acceptance, we still desire to be distinct and recognized. But I digress.

Although the etymology of branding is varied, we can all imagine a rancher using a hot iron to brand his livestock.  Each ranch had a distinct logo that made a permanent impression. Though originally intended to distinguish ownership, the logo reflected on the rancher, whether good or bad.

Your behavior as a company will be associated with your logo.  In this regard, the branding is the logo and the logo is the brand.

In my presentation, “You Are What You Tweet,” I gave the example that the Caltrop logo had no meaning to me until I met one of their employees, Mark DeSio.

“When you have a relationship with a person, the logo has meaning.” (Tweet This)

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