Assignment - 7
Zafar A. Khan
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4/26/2010
CONTENTS
Brand Name 3
Components of a Brand name 4
Brand Logo 13
Components of an Effective Logo 14
Logo Formats 15
Analyzing Logos 17
Brand Color 22
Importance of Colors in Branding
Brand Typeface 3
Classification of Typefaces
Brand Name is one of the most essential and important aspects of a brand. While
choosing the name of a brand, a lot of things have to be taken into consideration
because of the immense importance attached to the name of the brand. The
importance of the Brand Name can be judged from the fact that it differentiates and
distinguishes the brand in question from its competing brands. For instance, the
name ‘Gold Leaf’ differentiates the brand from its counterparts like Dunhill etc.
Some of the things that should be kept in mind while choosing brand names are as
follows:
more and more brands are moving into the global arena, establishing
presence in multiple nations, translation is a crucial factor, which is required
to localize the brand for the local targets.
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Types of Brand Names
After discussing the key success factors for choosing brand names, another
important consideration is that what are the types of brand names being used by
different brands. The types of brand names for a business usually fall into one of
the following categories (Popular types of Brand Names, 2010):
• Invented Names: These names contain a distinct brand name that allows it
to stand out amongst the industry and quickly establish a position of
leadership. There are three main ways of inventing brand names (Names
and Brands, 2008). Firstly, by syllable combinations, this involves, randomly
combining syllables of words. Secondly by randomly substituting letters to
produce multiple variations of a word I.e. Pattern based word generation.
Last but not least by Word fusion i.e. combining beginning and end of
existing words to produce new words.
These above mentioned are the standalone names of brand name types but
generally the brand name comprises of one or more types of the above mentioned,
for example, Aston Martin, takes its name from the "Aston Hill" races (near Aston
Clinton) where the company was founded and its founder, Lionel Martin (Wikipedia,
2010).
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BRAND LOGO
The company logo is the foundation stone of the firm's branding elements. Many
firms regard their logos as a visual depiction of their reasons for existence into the
arena. A great logo would indeed help build the firm; it also plays a vital role in
representing it. On the contrary, a weak or confusing logo can detract from the
value that the firm brings. In short, the brand logo is the visual expression of the
Brand Identity.
Ignoring the design aspect of logos, an effective logo should be unique, for instance
it doesn’t get into stuff that other counterparts are also doing. Moreover, it should
instantly communicate the nature of the business, product, or service. This can be
interpreted in two ways, literal or abstract. An example of the abstract
interpretation is the well-known Burger King logo, a burger. On the other hand,
Citibank’s “blinking eye” symbol, used prior to Citicorp’s merger with Travelers
Group (Separate You’re Business from the Competition by Branding and
Positioning, 2006), was more abstract, having nothing directly to do with banking,
but representative of the company’s tagline , The City never sleeps.
Moreover, a logo should be appealing to the target audience. The usage of suitable
color scheme is of immense importance. While being into the business selling a
highly sophisticated service or a product, for example a banking service, using
sharp colors might not be a good for example Silk Bank uses hot pink in its logo. It
should be able to withstand the test of time. When considering a logo design, it’s
not advisable to go for a new logo every two years. Thus, it is never a good idea to
stylize the design to such a point that it will become unusable once the current fad
goes out of fashion. Classic and timeless are the words to keep in mind.
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A good logo is usable in all types of communication mediums. For instance, if a logo
only looks good in color and it is advertised mainly in local newspapers, this will
present a production problem. The symbol will become distorted, if not unreadable.
Moreover, an effective logo supports the USP being offered by the brand for
example, if a brand is trying to communicate low prices then the logo should
support that image. Last but not least a logo should be Legible. This seems pretty
obvious but many brands use typefaces and images that can't be printed or carried
to a large sign. A logo should clearly identify the company and that can’t be done if
people don't understand it.
Logo Formats
There is a variety of logo formats being applied in the business world these days.
Some of them include (Identifying Concepts, 2009):
• Word mark: It contains just the brand name without any accompanying
visual symbol because the name itself is distinct and unique enough for
example Microsoft®.
• Letterform: It generally utilizes the first letter of the brand name to create a
distinct letterform that establishes visual ownership of that letter for example
McDonalds has one of the most recognized logos in the world, ‘M’.
Analyzing Logos
In order to interpret the logos and find the meaning that is embedded in them,
some essential guidelines have to be followed and answers to the following
questions should be looked for:
• Does the typography fit the logo or the imagery? Typography is an essential
element and it should fit the logo or the imagery. The main goal of a logo is
to be recognizable and easily readable.
• Are the colors in contrast? The logo should be in contrast with the colors, the
elements and shapes of the design.
• Are the colors appropriate? Color is one of the most important aspects of a
logo. Different colors have different meanings and they tend to monitor the
interaction of people towards the brand.
Shape is one of the basic elements of design. Alone or in combination with other
shapes or lines they can convey universal meanings as well as guide the eye or
organize information. The three basic types of shapes are geometric, natural, and
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• Natural shapes are found in nature or they can be manmade shapes. Leaves
are an example of a natural shape. An ink blob is a natural shape. Natural
shapes are often irregular and fluid. These can add interest and reinforce a
theme. Rather than a plain box, frame text with a coiling rope or a spray of
leaves or flowers. Use a freeform, non-symmetrical shape to convey a feeling
of spontaneity.
Shape/Symbo Meaning
l
• They are balanced and can be a symbol for law, science, and
religion.
Different colors have different meaning to different people in general. The meaning
of colors varies depending on one's culture, race, gender, and even age. Selection
of a particular color to target a market is of immense importance. Moreover,
different colors have different connotations in different cultures across the world for
instance; white is often associated with weddings in North America and evokes the
feeling of innocence. In Eastern cultures, white signifies death. It’s imperative for a
dress designer to choose the color for wedding dresses when making and selling
stuff in china.
The importance of visual elements cannot be ignored when studying the purchase
behavior of different products/services. According to a research conducted by the
secretariat of the Seoul International Color Expo 2004, 92.6 percent said that they
put most importance on visual factors when purchasing products. Only 5.6 percent
said that the physical feel via the sense of touch was most important. Hearing and
smell each drew 0.9 percent.
The relation between health and colors has been there for centuries as evident from
the Egyptian culture where doctors used to bathe patients in colors of light to heal
diseases. In modern time the healing capabilities of colors are still utilized to
diagnose different ailments.
Red energizes the liver, scarlet increases blood pressure, purple lowers blood
pressure, orange strengthens lungs and increases calcium metabolism, green
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activates sympathetic nervous system, and, yellow energizes the alimentary tract.
Blue stimulated the sympathetic nervous system the most and the red and green
the least. This system is responsible for heartbeat, blood pressure and perspiration.
(Color Meaning, 2002)
Different colors have different meanings and connotations attached to them for
example purple is the color for royalty and white is the color of purity. When colors
are used in designing the visual identity of a brand, the meanings of these colors
translate in a way to the meaning of the brand itself, for example usually milk
brands utilize white color to design their visual identities. The reasons for doing so
may be firstly the nature of the product I.e. milk is white in color so white in the
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visual identity aids that and secondly the literal meaning of the color i.e. purity and
cleanliness. This meaning translates into an advantage and benefit for the brand
because milk is meant to be pure and clean.
Usually zodiac signs are used in conjoint with the planets of the solar system. The
reason for this is that each sign of the Zodiac has its planetary ruler and unique
characteristics emanating from that planet. Each sign radiates its own hues and
color. The spectrum of colors with each of the signs of the Zodiac signifies
psychological, spiritual, and physical energies special to that sign. Below is a
detailed explanation of some colors and their meanings:
It is advisable for a particular brand to ‘own’ some colors more commonly known as
the corporate colors. Such colors provide an additional recognition cue.
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BRAND TYPEFACES
Typeface Classifications
In order to create a typographic layout the first and the foremost thing that should
be considered is that when to use a style type and when not use it. In order to do so
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Black letter: The blackletter classification may also be referred to as the Old
English, Text or Gothic. This form gains its popularity due to its use
throughout the era of scribes Christendom until the end of World War
II. Now they are primarily used as display types.
These type faces are very complex and ornate and may be difficult to read. Due to
this reason they are used for very special reasons such as advertisements,
invitations, diplomas, certificates or initial caps at the beginning of chapters or
paragraphs.
These types are most effective when used in larger sizes such as for
headlines, titles and display purposes (e.g., advertisements).
Sans Serif: Typefaces in this category are without serifs. These types have a very
clean design and are very legible for display, special emphasis and text. However,
they should not be used for large bodies of texts because large
amount of text in sans serif can cause eye stress.
These are highly legible for display and text use, sans serifs generally
fall into one of four categories: Grotesque, Neo-Grotesque, Geometric and
Humanist.
Slab Serif: These are also known as the Square serif or Egyptian. One of the main
differentiating factors that differentiate slab serif is that they are not that legible as
serif or sans serif.
Transitional: These typefaces have evolved from the ones used in the 16th and the
17th century. These typefaces are beautifully suited for text due to their
precision and regularity.
Optical: Optical fonts include versions whose design has been optimized to appear
best when printed at Display, Subhead and Caption point sizes as well
as when used at smaller text sizes. The subtle difference adds a
professional polish to any fine print piece.
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Elements of a Brand Typeface Analysis
Compact Wilde
Condensed Expanded
Extra
Bold
Heavy
Ultra
Black
• Typeface and the Audience: While selecting a typeface for the target
audience this thing should be strictly kept in mind that the type should
match the audience and should be in contrast with it for example when
targeting a mature audience using a funky type face may not be a good idea,
whereas it is meant for younger ones.
The brand name, ‘Ariel’, gets its name from Hebrew Characteristic Result
language and means, the Lion of God. Uniqueness Yes Fairly No
Yes
Characteristic Result
Communicates nature of Yes Fairly No
Ease of memorizing Eas Medium Har
product
Yes
y d
Appeals the target Yes Fairly No
Spelling & Pronunciation Eas Medium Har
audience
Yes
y d
Suitable color scheme Yes Fairly No
Reference of name to Can be referred with
Yes
product respect to power
Consistency of logo Yes Fairly No
Evokes positive mental Ye Fairly No
Yes
image s Yes
Usage in all mediums Yes Fairly No
Distinguishes from Ye Fairly No
Yes
competitors s Yes
Supports USP Yes Fairly No
Translation into other Same name globally
Yes
Languages
Legibility of Logo Highly readable
Characteristic Result
Uniqueness Yes Fairly No
Characteristic Result Yes
Ease of memorizing Eas Medium Har Communicates nature of Yes Fairly No
y d product
Yes
Spelling & Pronunciation Eas Medium Har Appeals the target Yes Fairly No
y d audience
Yes
Reference of name to No reference to Suitable color scheme Yes Fairly No
product product Yes
Evokes positive mental Ye Fairly No Consistency of logo Yes Fairly No
image s Yes Yes
Distinguishes from Ye Fairly No Usage in all mediums Yes Fairly No
competitors s Yes Yes
Translation into other Same name globally Supports USP Yes Fairly No
Yes
Legibility of Logo Highly readable
Typographic Fit Typographically unfit
an effort. You can achieve great things, especially if you Reliable Hardworking
all pull together. JPGL handles change capably and Competence Intelligent Intelligent
appreciates it for offering opportunities for new Successful Leader,
experiences and learning’s that enriches him as a person. Confident
He values his 130 years of learning. Ultimately he Sincerity Honest Sincere, Real
Outdoorsy Masculine
believes that you are the sum of your experiences. JPGL
Ruggedness Tough Rugged
can adapt to most places. He appreciates their
BRAND – Lipton
Brand Name Analysis Brand Logo Analysis
The brand name, ‘Lipton’, gets its name from its Characteristic Result
founder owner Sir Thomas Lipton. Uniqueness Yes Fairly No
Yes
Characteristic Result
Communicates nature of Yes Fairly No
Ease of memorizing Eas Medium Har
product
Yes
y d
Appeals the target Yes Fairly No
Spelling & Pronunciation Eas Medium Har
audience
Yes
y d
Suitable color scheme Yes Fairly No
Reference of name to Indirect Reference
Yes
product
Consistency of logo Yes Fairly No
Evokes positive mental Ye Fairly No
Yes
image s Yes
Usage in all mediums Yes Fairly No
Distinguishes from Ye Fairly No
Yes
competitors s Yes
Supports USP Yes Fairly No
Translation into other Same name globally
Yes
Languages
Legibility of Logo Highly readable
y d Yes
Reference of name to Direct Reference Consistency of logo Yes Fairly No
product Yes
Evokes positive mental Ye Fairly No Usage in all mediums Yes Fairly No
Determination and will power are the defining Core Facets Traits
characteristics of Nestle Fruit Juices. A young, Dimension
Sincerity Wholesome Original
vibrant, hardworking male, ages almost 23 Cheerful Friendly
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years. He bears a social personality and likes Excitement Spirited Cool, Young
Up-to-date Contemporar
interacting. Working out everyday enables his y
fitness. He enjoys life to the fullest and Competence Intelligent Intelligent
Successful Confident
believes being fit is being right. He has a very
Ruggedness Outdoorsy Masculine
deep insight into life and likes experiencing Tough Rugged
life in all of its flavors and to the fullest.
BRAND – Nestle Pure Life
Brand Name Analysis Brand Logo Analysis
The brand name, Nestle Pure Life, gets the first part of Characteristic Result
its name from the owner and the second part Uniqueness Yes Fairly No
describing a benefit, Pure Life.
Yes
Communicates nature of Yes Fairly No
Characteristic Result product
Ease of memorizing Eas Medium Har Yes
Appeals the target Yes Fairly No
y d audience
Spelling & Pronunciation Eas Medium Har Yes
Suitable color scheme Yes Fairly No
y d
Reference of name to Direct Reference Yes
Consistency of logo Yes Fairly No
product
Evokes positive mental Ye Fairly No Yes
Usage in all mediums Yes Fairly No
image s Yes
Distinguishes from Ye Fairly No Yes
Supports USP Yes Fairly No
competitors s Yes
Translation into other Same name globally Yes
Legibility of Logo Highly readable
Languages
Pure Life is a married female with 2 kids. She Core Facets Traits
is a very responsible mother who makes Dimension
Down-to- Family
every effort to take the best care possible of Sincerity earth Oriented
her kids and family. Culture is deeply Honest Sincere
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Cheerful Original
embedded in her and she sticks to her family Spirited Young
traditions. Healthy living is one of the most Excitement Imaginative Unique
Up-to-date Contemporar
valued things by her and she makes all
y
possible efforts for the betterment of the Upper Class Good looking
Sophisticatio Charming Feminine
society as a whole. To an extent she is an
n
authoritarian and bears a commanding
BRAND – Surf Excel
Brand Name Analysis Brand Logo Analysis
The brand name, ‘Surf Excel’, gets its name from two Characteristic Result
words Surf (generic name for detergent powder) and Uniqueness Yes Fairly No
Excel (to be the best).
Yes
Communicates nature of Yes Fairly No
Characteristic Result product
Ease of memorizing Eas Medium Har Yes
Appeals the target Yes Fairly No
y d audience
Spelling & Pronunciation Eas Medium Har Yes
Suitable color scheme Yes Fairly No
y d
Reference of name to Direct Reference Yes
Consistency of logo Yes Fairly No
product
Evokes positive mental Ye Fairly No Yes
Usage in all mediums Yes Fairly No
image s Yes
Distinguishes from Ye Fairly No Yes
Supports USP Yes Fairly No
competitors s Yes
Translation into other Same name globally Yes
Legibility of Logo Highly readable
Languages
hard worker and knows how to strike the work Wholesome Friendly
life and personal life balance. She is Spirited Young
persistent and determined to succeed in Excitement Imaginative Unique
whichever endeavors she pursues. She is very Up-to-date Contemporar
caring and wants to get the best out of y
everything for her children. Reliable Hard
Competence Working
Intelligent Intelligent
BRAND – Tapal
Brand Name Analysis Brand Logo Analysis
y d Yes
Reference of name to Direct Reference Consistency of logo Yes Fairly No
product Yes
Evokes positive mental Ye Fairly No Usage in all mediums Yes Fairly No
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