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Branding InformationBranding
by:
Phillip A. Ross
Branding
Often the much a thing is discussed the less it is understood. Words have a point of decreasing
return. That point is crossed once
the effort to be clean and precise counts every tree standing, but misses the proverbial forest. Such is the case with branding.
Because the idea of stigmatization is all the rage, folk are tempted to think that it is a new idea. It is not. It’s roots reach back into history.
The Old West
Let’s go back to the Old West wherever
brands were burned into the hind quarters of cattle. The thing proprietary
was the cow, the product make by the farming endeavor. The brand itself was the twisted iron logotype on the end of the rod that left its pictures or mark on the hide of the cow. Cows were roped, tied and proprietary
in order to identify them, should they be stolen. The brand was a mark of identity, as it is in the corporate world.
Some ranchers besides used their logotype as a welcome sign shaped in iron over the gates of the corral or over the road leading to the rancher’s home. Again, the brand acknowledged the ranch. Several ranchers even as got their cowhands belt buckles with the ranch logotype to identify them as employees. And over time logoed merchandise began to pop up on boots, hats, shirts, etc.
Identity
The brand is basically a mark of identity. It identifies the ranch or company, and has move to represent or suggest the values and character of the company, and of its leaders. The brand is associated with the character of the company, as well as its products.
The early history of stigmatization was always personal. Wherever
makes the ranch or institution get the values and character that are associated with it? From its owners and leaders, and from their business practices.
Branding as we cognize it now is the art of inculcation and communication the values and character of a institution or organization through association with its logo. Psychological science calls it symbolic association, and finds it to be foundational to the learning process. Symbolic association has deep roots in human experience and in history.
Fish, Cross & Swastika
We find that stigmatization as a practice began really early in history. The sign of the fish and the cross were symbols used by the early Christians. Over time they became Christian brands.
The Roman Emperor Constantine had a vision of a red cross in the sky before the battle of Saxa Rubra, Gregorian calendar month 28, 312, near Rome. He put that red cross on his shields and flags, stigmatization the Holy Roman Empire for centuries.
On August 7, 1920, at the City Congress, a red flag bearing the Hakenkreuz became the official emblem of the Nazi Party, as Adolf hitler proprietary
the Third Reich. Piece our emotional reaction to the Hakenkreuz is normally negative, some
the fact and the intensity of our response to it points to the power of branding. Most folk probably have an emotional reaction to the examples above. That emotional reaction is the aim of branding.
It must be recognized that a stigmatization effort makes not always turn out the way the campaign intends. The cross was intended to be a symbol of derision, but became a symbol of grace and mercy. The Hakenkreuz was intended to be a symbol of the triumph of the Arian race, but has become a symbol of evil. In some
cases stigmatization was achieved, but not in the way intended.
Of course, companies want the emotional association to their brand to be positive—even to generate an urge to splurge, or trust adequate to sustain a transaction. But regardless of one’s personal reaction to a symbol, the fundamental mechanics of stigmatization involve soliciting an emotional response to a symbol.
There are two fundamental elements in the stigmatization process. The 1st pertains to the symbol, the second to the association.
The Symbol
The symbol itself must be familiar. The much the symbol or logotype is seen, the much familiar it becomes. The most booming stigmatization campaigns wish have a lot of sustained media coverage and use a variety of advertising mediums. This makes not mean that smaller campaigns cannot be successful, only that their success wish be smaller. Familiarity is primarily a function of exposure.
The Association
Secondly, the emotional content of the association besides inevitably to be familiar. Of course it is true that new desires and/or emotional content can be created. But the effort is some
time overwhelming and risky. The result mightiness be another than the desired effect.
The much booming know-how
for creating a symbolic association employs well-established and wide
valued characteristics, like love, honor, truth, freedom, etc. Booming stigmatization campaigns establish symbolic associations between their products and/or institution and such noble characteristics. What is noble inspires people, and what inspires is remembered and discussed. It creates buzz. And buzz is branding’s engine.
To discuss the art of stigmatization apart from these foundational elements is to miss the forest for the trees. However, stigmatization is much than a mere advertising campaign can accomplish because the symbolic association that inevitably to be ready-made for the stigmatization to be booming involves the core values and character traits of the company— its leaders and its business practices.
Prior to branding, core values, character issues and institution policies need to be determined, developed and deployed inside
the company. Because the process of stigmatization reveals the values, character and policies of the company, those things need to be right, and be in place before they can be with success
revealed.
Premature Branding
A premature revelation of these things can be black to the purpose of the stigmatization campaign. To be proprietary
as insincere
and shallow is worse than no stigmatization at all. Again, stigmatization occurs once
an emotional response—any emotional response— is associated with a institution symbol. The art of stigmatization is to solicit the right emotional response.
So, what can be done to promote a brand? Begin by working to establish core values and character inside
and throughout the company. To be with success
proprietary
is to be acknowledged wide
for who you are. You want a great stigmatization campaign? Be a great company. Draw a bead on to the values and character traits of greatness and nobility. Herein lies the key to stigmatization success.
©2003 Phillip A. Ross
Just about the Author
Phillip A. Ross, entrepreneur, freelance writer and owner of Business Specialties (www.business-specialties.com), lives in Marietta, Ohio, and provides identity products and promotional services to position companies and organization for substantial success.
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