Essay: More Than a Logo

A Brand is More Than a Logo
By Anthony Rosario-Licerio

What is a Brand? A Brand is an identifier, and is traditionally used by Ranchers. Branding their livestock differentiated their livestock from another Ranch’s livestock.

A Brand is not a company, a company is an entity which goods and/or services are exchanged for monetary value, this value is determined by The Market; A Brand is More Than a Logo.

Coca-Cola as a brand went through some growing pains during the company’s journey from medicine to the global refreshment. Along the way developing an iconic bottle, a signature, flavor profile, and a cult following.

The Brand took a turn when Pepsi Cola came onto the scene, Pepsi Cola was sweeter and appealed to a younger generation. The competition launched a Coca-Cola initiative (marketing blunder) to change the recipe.

The sweet Pepsi-eque flavor profile did not receive the reception Coca-Cola hoped for. In the quest to pull-in the younger generation already loyal to Pepsi Cola, Coca-Cola left their base behind.

Psycholoyalists revolted against the change, and Coca-Cola was forced to revert to the Classic recipe; rebranding themselves Coca-Cola Classic, a Brand is flavor.

The Coca-Cola carried the Classic designation for 24-years. Removing the designation in 2007 in Canadian markets and 2009 in American markets.

A Brand is iconic design, the Oster Classic 76 is an iconic tool in any Barbers toolbox, the shape, red color, and sound are unique to the Oster 76.

The Oster 97 the United Kingdom equivalent can be seen being used in the movie V for Vendetta — bloody brilliant attention to detail by the creative team.

Before the orange box, swoosh, Just Do It, and the high-dollar shoe endorsements, Nike was Blue Ribbon Sports, a third party track shoe dealer for ASIC, cashing bad checks, and barely paying the utilities. Nike is not the Brand or company they are today if they did face the trials they did (If TL;DR version of Nike’s history bothers you, please read Shoe Dog.)

Nike’s brand evolution happened thanks to some luck, Carolyn Davidson, a few athlete endorsements notably Steve Prefontaine, John McEnroe, Bo Jackson, and Michael Jordan, Tinker Hatfield, and Weiden + Kennedy.

A Brand is the fireside story we tell our children, the history of your company, and the journey your Brand walks; a Brand is more than a logo. A Brand is your reputation. A Brand is timeless. A Brand is More Than A Logo.

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