Thoughts & Notions

Archive for the ‘Brand Signals’ Category

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Heritage is Subjective

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Past-future-truths-beliefs

As consumers, we are passionate about the brands we choose because those brands help us to define ourselves, to make a statement without having to speak. The brands themselves tell a story of our values and often allow us to convey things that are often better left unsaid. Many of these brands rely on authenticity to lend legitimacy to their experience. This story of heritage and origin becomes a key component of brand value as the brand matures and evolves.

However, the actions brands take today influence our perception of the past and manage future expectations. What you do today affects how people perceive what you did yesterday.

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Posted in Brand Expression, Brand Identity, Brand Management, Brand Signals, Brand Strategy | 10 Comments »

Logos are Dead?

Thursday, July 8th, 2010
apple-vs-microsoft-logo-blurred

Recently, professionals have been debating the issues of whether or not logos are dead: a waste of time, money and effort. Some believe that in today’s digital age, logotypes will and have replaced logos as staples of brand identity. Still, others believe that iconic symbols are the cornerstone of visual identity. We believe the argument is centered around the wrong question. The question should be: “Which is more effective, logo or logotype?” We’ll let you answer that question for yourself. Can you clearly identify the two brands above? One is a logo, the other a logotype. Which did you recognize first?

Exactly! We are a visual species. We use signals to understand and navigate our world. As consumers, we use brand signals to understand and navigate the marketplace. Those in the logotype camp don’t fully understand how consumers see their world nor do they understand how brand signals work.

So why are logos so critical?

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Posted in Brand Expression, Brand Identity, Brand Signals | 60 Comments »

Sound Symbolism

Friday, June 11th, 2010

bouba-kiki-effect

Look at the two shapes above. How would you pair these forms with the following words? Bouba and Kiki

There is a 95% to 98% likelihood that you paired the sharper sounds (obstruents) of the word “Kiki” with image on the left, and the softer sounds (sonorants) of “Bouba” with the softer image on the right.

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Posted in Brand Expression, Brand Identity, Brand Signals | 14 Comments »

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