I saw an interesting video today, and it got me thinking. We see tons of logos everyday. The ones we're familiar with we immediately pair with the corresponding company. We don't think about the design of the logo; instead we see the company.
Since we see so many logos and brands every day, have you ever wondered how early we begin to associate logos and companies together?
The little girl speaking in that video is 5 years old. I'm sure you noticed that she was able to name quite a few of the brands, most on purpose. She did accidentally identify the Chili's logo, but still, she was able to piece it together. Besides being able to match up what company goes with what logo, the girl in the video also made a few points that I'm sure would make graphic designers and company executives very happy: she associated the logos with other relevant, cultural icons and feelings.
When she saw the Bank of America logo, she said it looked like an American flag. That, of course, was not on accident. When she saw the McDonald's logo, she said it looked like french fries. Each of these logos is supposed to remind us of something else, or give us a feeling about the company. When you see the silver, shiny Apple logo, it looks like something from the future. When you see the GE logo, it looks like something from the past, and you might be reminded of stability and longevity, even if that's not the case.
Being able to brand a company with a single symbol means increased
marketability. Instead of text and lots of pictures, all you need is
that logo. That makes it easier for companies to advertise and market
their product. It's a
way for the company to make connections to other icons in society.
