Ancient Brand Knockoffs? Really?
You’ve heard of Gucci and Coach purse knockoffs or Rolex watch knockoffs, but have you ever heard of an Ulfberht sword knockoff? Brand knockoffs go all the way back to Viking times! As a person with Scandinavian heritage, I couldn’t resist watching Secrets of the Viking Sword, a NOVA special on PBS.
Turns out, people are people. Whether in the 9th century or the 21st, counterfeiters have always been on a mission to capitalize on the strengths of great branding.
Countries: Brands with Massive Influence
“The public impression of a country is important as a source of national pride. Invariably, people source part of their own identity from the image of their country.” -Robert Cevero, Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley
When it comes to branding, most people think of businesses as the driving force behind the concept. But did you know that every country around the world has its own branding?
The branding of entire countries is a fascinating topic because country brands extend far beyond what most people understand “branding” to be. Here at The Branding Spot, we’ve discussed how a complete brand consists of so many more brand elements than “just a logo.” Brand elements can range from marketing collateral pieces and the look and feel of a website to how a company projects itself at tradeshows, in online advertisements, and even using sounds and catchy jingles.
Countries are unique in the fact that each and every one has its own brand, whether it invests in that branding or not, not to mention the massive influence each country’s brand has on its relation to and place in the world, and the future success of the nation as a whole. Allow me to explain…
Comic Sans: The Designer’s Scapegoat
“If you love it, you don’t know much about typography. If you hate it, you really don’t
know much about typography either, and you should get another hobby.”
~ Vincent Connare, inventor of Comic Sans
Comic Sans: It’s THE font guaranteed to get a reaction out of just about anyone, graphic designer or otherwise. Created in 1999 as an inside joke, the Ban Comic Sans website has grown into a popular anti-font movement. On the other hand, you have The Comic Sans Project (“We fear no fonts and we will make the whole world Comic Sans.”) and The Comic Sans Song, which may or may not be soaking in irony. Frankly, it’s hard to tell. Also of note: The Oatmeal, one of the web’s most popular comics, makes fun of Comic Sans in “How a Website Goes Straight To Hell.”
Royal Baby Branding Boosts
Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, allegedly remarked, “We are not a family; we are a firm.” Hence the royals’ self-appointed nickname for the family: The Firm. Now that we have the newest royal George on our hands with the arrival of little Prince George last week, I can’t help but draw the parallel. With this statement, it’s obvious that the early 20th century British monarchy already understood the importance of treating the royal family as a business—and they also understood every business needs a strong brand.
Today’s British royals are well aware of the power behind a strong family brand: it unites their kingdom, encourages confidence in the upper crust, inspires more tourism and presents the family to the world in a positive diplomatic light. Most importantly, a strong brand serves to boost the economy, both short- and long-term.
Bare Bones Brands Quiz
How’s your week going? Time for some fun! Take a look at the following logos. How many of these brands can you recognize from just these images?
How do you think you did? (Write your answers in the comment section below.) Could you recognize and recall all these brands? If so, there’s a reason they’ve made it into your memory. You can likely say you’ve simply seen these brands so many times they’re forever ingrained in your head. So, sure: repetition could be a part of it.
But isn’t it interesting that you can distinguish these brands just by their parts, without the whole picture? That’s some really impressive brand recognition. So why are these brands so easily distinguished? There must be more to it!
Branding for Kids of the ’70s
My husband and I are both children from the 1970s. The '70s were great as a kid: the colors, the toys, the service announcements! Where Oscar the Grouch was grumpy and Cookie Monster only ate cookies. I think we were the last generation to see uncut Looney Tunes...