the chicken and the egg: a fresh look at branding and a branding refresh

http://www.grandciel.com

Most people new to “what branding really is” don’t actually think it begins with longhorned steer and cattle ranching. However, a lot of people who are totally new to theconcept, think their branding begins and ends with their logo.

In that case, it’s any branding professional to steer them in the right direction. A logo isonly one visual component to a brand and that branding takes place over time, thoughinteraction with target audiences, messaging, being consistent and relevant, as well asdelivering on promises.

Grand Ciel Branding & Design I MWMC 20X20 Showcase 2014 I Kristin Maija Peterson I www.grandciel.com

Branding has been around much longer than “cattle ranching.” 30-40,000 years tobe exact.

The evidence being anthropologists have discovered human hand prints in caves allover the world. It’s universal.


So why the hand print? The human hand is so distinct. It sets apart us from the animalkingdom and other life on earth. The hand print says “we were here” and “this wasimportant to us” as well as way to help unite us as we begin to form society and culture.

It’s human nature to want to create order in a chaotic world, identify, naming, classifyingeverything around us and branding becomes a big part of that order.

The hand print could be considered our very first brand, one in which we continue to useto identify the human condition. Examples: Black Panthers, Solidarity, The Peace Movementand Facebook.

A side note: Anthropologists have determined that 75% of the hand prints, at least those studiedin the caves across Spain and France, were made by women. It puts our idea of what we thinkour early women status’ might have been like on its head.

See online articles in Christian Science Monitor and National Geographic: “Where Most Cave Painters Women?Their Hand Prints Say Yes.”


www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/1016/Were-most-cave-painters-women-Their-hand-prints-say-yes

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/photogalleries/cave-handprints-actually-women-missions-pictures/

Leaping centuries ahead, as society forms tribes, clans and kingdoms,branding becomes increasingly important as way to identify who is friendand who is foe. A Coat of Arms proved a time-honored useful form ofbranding, telling a lot about the ruler, his supporters, conquests, etc.

It was imperative that a knight carry a coat of arms, because there is nowhy anyone can tell one knight in a full suit of armor from the next knightin a full set of armor.

Equal time for women: Because women didn’t participate in war,they didn’t have a Coat of Arms, rather a counterpart “Lozenge” whichtells her family heraldry and marital status.

We can see that the Coat of Arms was and still a strategy in branding ruleand leadership. We see it universally used to represent our universities,our military and offices of government.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms

The use of pictures becomes a profitable way of branding during Colonial times in America anda precursor to our modern logo and advertising. Historically, it first was thought the use ofpictures in store fronts was because early settlers were by and large illiterate — a total myth.Colonists placed a high value on education, so a good percentage of residents at the time couldread and write.

Still, merchants found value in hanging a picture shop sign as their brand so peoplecould easily find and identify what goods and services they offered. A picture could stickIn people’s mind and over time associate that picture with the merchant’s name andreputation. We continue to leverage imagery today to make a brand memorable.


http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/autumn10/myths.cfm?showSite=mobile-regular

Humans have been branding has been around pretty since the beginning of time andformation of societies and culture. What then makes a brand iconic?

It starts with our stories, our legends, our myths that have forged a cast of charactersso engrained into our intellectual and emotional psyche. This give us the archetype.

See supplementary article on Archetypes included with this presentation.


Iconic brands that have found their story, embraced their inner archetype havecreated a perfect formula for becoming instantly recognizable and identifiable.

We love our stories. We love our characters. Being able to identify what is in frontof us is hugely comforting.

Examples of brands embracing their inner archetype through messaging andstory telling:Apple, the Hero.IBM, the Innovator.Celestial Seasonings, the Alchemist,Volkswagen, the Child.

See supplementary article on these Iconic Brands and their Archetypes included with thispresentation.


But there is more to an iconic brand than its story and embracing an inner archetype. Thereare some key necessary elements at play as well. An iconic brand needs to be reliable,reliable, compatible, competitive: always striving to do better, be better, authentic, honest,walk their talk. You can trust them.

In short, an iconic brand wants you to feel like they are your very best friend.


Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv make it look easy. My heroes for making really, really simplelogos that are now iconic brands.

Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv— is a prominent New York-based branding and graphicdesign firm. It was founded in 1957 by Yale graduates Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar.The firm is famous for designing logos for such companies as Pan Am, Mobil Oil, PBS,Chase Bank, Barneys New York, The Museum of Modern Art, Xerox, SmithsonianInstitution, NBC, Cornell University, National Geographic, State Farm Insurance, andmany others.

I’m introducing this creative team, because I learn from all kinds of different sources andthe first thing they thought me is getting to simple is really, really hard and it is really, reallyhard selling your client on simple.

The following page shows examples of Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv work and the iconicbrands they helped create.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/photogalleries/cave-handprints-actually-women-missions-pictures/

The second thing Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv taught me (and this goes to mypresentation title analogy), is this is the iconic brand. The Little Red Hen.

It’s very easy to buy into what she is selling because we know her and what she is about:She’s wholesome, she has a strong work ethic, and makes a darn good loaf of bread, allthe while teaching us the merits of not acting like a lazy, entitled teenager.

* Little Red Hen by Florence White Williams (1918)



In contrast to the iconic brand, this is the new brand or brand refresh. It’s so new it’s hard to sell our clients on it. We can’t relate, simply becauseIt is so new. The new brand is an unknown. What will it be when it hatches? A cutie fussy yellow chick, a poisonous snake, a dinosaur, Big Bird? We don’t know and that’s the big hurtle any new brand or a brand that embarks on a re-fresh faces.


To illustrate this hurtle brand refreshes face, let’s not forget the recent misadventures, disasters in re-branding.

GAP received so much outrage they had to switch back to their original logo. Tropicana watered down their packaging, their cartons looked so genericthat consumers could not find their favorite brand of orange juice. JCPenny’s, they can’t decide what square they like best.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3010812/lessons-in-risk-reward-and-failure-from-7-brand-disasters#1

http://blog.cottervisual.com/?p=2170


So all this background on branding is swirling in my head when it comes to refreshingthe MWMC brand. It has served us well, but the call for change was needed to be more consistent, relevant and truthfully represent this organization.


So where to begin? It starts by finding our story.

If I was to give us an archetype, it would be “The Networker.” A talent for creating communities and connections. Outgoing. Empathic. An Advocate.

Diversity


It’s clear we are a diverse group…members just starting their careers, to seasoned pros. Member careers range from marketing, print media, web marketing, public relations, social media to design. We provide value and knowledge through our diverse programming.

connectingcommunicatingcollaboratingchallengingcelebrating


But with all that diversity, our organization shares core characteristics.

Connecting: We’re really good at connecting with one another in ways that enrich our lives professionally and personally.

Communicating: We are in the MAR/Comm industry, so we shine at communicating.

Collaboration: Our organization thrives on member volunteer collaboration.

Challenging: Through volunteer opportunities, MMWC give member a chance to challenge and build their skill sets, sharpen their know-how and step out of their comfort zones.

Celebrating: We support members throughout their careers and love to celebrate their successes.

So what does this look like? Putting it all together:


…we are a mosaic blend of careers, with a passion for our industry and the desire to see members succeed in their careers.

We are Minnesota Women In Marketing and Communications. Energizing business. Transforming careers.

Thank you.

http://www.grandciel.com