During the War of 1812, a New York meatpacker named Samuel Wilson was supplying barrels of meat to the U.S. military. He marked each barrel with a U.S. stamp. The soldiers in the field began to speculate what the initials U.S. stood for. When it was learned that the meatpacker’s name was Samuel, the soldiers began to joke that it stood for Uncle Sam. The joke spread and soon the United States had its own brand image. That image was later enhanced by 19^th century political illustrator, Thomas Nast. Nast became famous for popular imagery that captured the attention of the general public, such as a donkey and an elephant as the symbols of the Democrat and Republican parties. He turned Uncle Sam into a tall, white-bearded old man all decked out in the stars and stripes. In both word and imagery, Uncle Sam has successfully been associated with the United States federal government.

How well is your business branded? How about the products and services you provide? Do people recognize them, both in name and imagery, and understand instantly what you are all about? Think about the names of these six businesses:

CVS

Sherwin-Williams

Amazon.com

Old Navy

Lowe’s

Target

Let’s find out how well these companies have done in brand awareness with you. Answer the following questions.

1. Can you name what each of these companies sell? (Notice I did not select companies that gave you any clue to their sales offerings in their name, such as PetSmart, Bed, Bath and Beyond, or Toys ”R” Us.)
2. Can you describe the colors used in their logos?
3. Could you describe or draw a quick sketch of their logo, including any shapes or images?

These corporations have spent tons of money making you aware of their brand. Let’s break down what successful branding awareness looks like. First, do you have a memorable logo? Unlike fine art, logos are very simple, not complex. They are meant to be viewed and recognized at a glance, not stared at and studied on the walls of a museum. The colors are most often primary or secondary colors (red, blue, and sometimes yellow, orange, green, purple). There are only a few exceptions to this rule. They have to have a high degree of contrast (that is why yellow is not often used in logos unless it is next to a very dense color, such as black.) Contrast is what helps your eye make a quick distinction between one form and another. In other words, it aids with the quick recognition of the logo at a glance. The colors you use and the degree of contrast are two crucial components of making your logo memorable. This is the first leg of logo recognition. The second leg is a simple, but appealing piece of artwork. That would include the fonts that are used in the logo and any imagery, such as shapes, graphics or illustrations. For instance, if you have a duck flying in a triangle with the name of your company underneath, make sure it is bold and not subtle. You should consider a silhouette of the bird in the triangle rather than a line drawing that details every feather. The font should be easy to read. Many script and decorative fonts do not make good logos. The third leg is a name that is catchy and easy to remember. In our example above, could you tell me what CVS stands for? It is short for Consumer Value Stores, a name which is not so memorable. The three letters – CVS - are much easier to remember. CVS could stand for any number of businesses. So could any of the examples we gave above. Notice that the name does not have to make total sense; it just has to be short and appealing. It might make more sense if Target were an archery store. Old Navy sounds like a military surplus store. That is the beauty of branding. When it is working well, people don’t assign logic to your name. They just know who you are and what you are selling at the mention of your name.

Successful branding goes beyond the logo design. It also reflects who you are as a corporation. It conveys the way you want the consumer to remember you. For instance, Nordstrom and Walmart both sell apparel. Is there a difference in the clothing you would purchase at each store? Yes, absolutely. Is that reflected in their brands? Yes it is. Nordstrom has built their brand on high end designer clothing and exceptional customer service. I can get a personal stylist as a consultant at Nordstrom who will take my measurements and, with one quick call, will pick out a suit for me, have it tailored and delivered to my office. Nordstrom has built their brand around out-servicing their competition. Are they the cheapest price in the market? No, but they don’t want to be branded as the cheapest, they want to convey a level of sophistication and high-end customer service. Walmart has been branded in a much different way. Their current slogan is "Save money. Live better.” They have branded themselves to be the place you go to get the lowest price. Their version of customer service is being greeted at the door with a smile and a shopping cart. From there on, you are on your own in a do-it-yourself shopping experience. There are no frills, no personal consultants to help you pick out just the right piece of clothing. It reflects a very distinct brand image that Walmart conveys very well. They are the place to come when you want to make your dollars stretch as far as they can. Again, notice the simplicity of each message. That is all wrapped inside your company’s brand.

If you need to re-brand yourself, first take into consideration what you are trying to say. Don’t get too complicated with the message. If you could only get one message out to your potential clients, what would you say? Build your brand around this statement. Build an image that stands for that statement as well. Keep it catchy and keep it simple.

Here are the answers to the questions about the six businesses.

1. CVS – is a pharmacy. Its logo is red. The logo has a diagonal slash between CVS and pharmacy. Here is a link to the CVS logo.

2. Sherwin-Williams – is a paint retailer. Its logo is red and blue. It has a paint can pouring over the top of the globe with the words "Cover the Earth” in the middle of the globe. Here is a link.

3. Amazon.com – is an online retailer, namely of books, videos and electronics. Their logo is black letters with a gold curved line that resembles both a smile and an arrow to perform a click. Take a look.

4. Old Navy – is a discount clothing store appealing to young families. The logo is blue in an oblong oval. Click here for a look.

5. Lowe’s – is a big box home improvement store. The logo is blue and is in the shape of a house. Take a look. 

6. Target – is a discount department store. The logo is a red target. See it here.