A mermaid, a mollusc..and a Greek goddess.

Weird title right??

Well yes and no.

Yes, in the fact that it’s a bit of a random group of what look like unconnected things, but also no, as they are all part of stories that have created some of the most iconic and recognisable brand marks in the world.?

But before we look at them individually, let’s unpick the mechanics of a brand logo or mark.?

In an increasingly complex and competitive landscape, the ability to shortcut the link between a brand and a consumer is fundamental to the success of any brand, anywhere in the world.?

The most successful marks are quick, visual representations of a brand that are simple, memorable, appropriate, resizable and timeless. They don’t communicate everything a brand stands for, or what a company does on its own, as they are simply a short cutting tool used for identification purposes.?

When combined with a solid and clearly defined brand, this is lightening in a bottle.?

But a logo on its own isn’t enough..A logo needs brand to come to life. To add meaning to it. Conversely, a brand needs a logo to build the visual links in the synapse of a consumer.?

In terms of the content of a brand logo or mark, some of the most iconic ones bear no visual cues to the sector they play in.?

Apple doesn’t feature a keyboard or laptop.?

Audi doesn’t feature a car or tyre.?

Can you spot the burger in the Golden Arches? Nope.?

The above, all do have things in common however. Their marks are linked to stories from THEIR brand history. Not a sector.?

I’ll say it again…THEIR brand history, something that is intrinsically THEM, and not copyable.?

Every brand in the world has countless PDFs dedicated to their history and stories, all stored on shared drives that never see the light of day. If you are starting to think about the creation or evolution of your brand mark…Dig these presentations out, listen to founders interviews, talk to people who knew the founders..find out everything about your brands beginning ..among the reams of info there will be golden nuggets that are your brand and your brand alone.?

Let’s take a look at some of the worlds most recognisable marks, their stories and their executions.?

Starbucks?

Brands starting with ‘ST’ are alluring and memorable! Or that’s what the founders of Starbucks way back in 1971 had heard. Taking the name from one of the characters from Moby Dick, the 16th century woodcut inspired icon, designed by Terry Heckler, was used as a metaphor for the alluring nature of caffeine, just as the sirens drew sailors to the rocks.

Since they were selling coffee beans, tea, and spices from around the world, it made sense for their moniker to nod to “the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders,”?

In later years the icon had been sharpened and modernised, this has allowed Starbucks to use the sirens star as the icon for their successful Reserve brand.?

Shell

The iconic yellow and red scallop shell logo is one of the most recognisable symbols in the world, but it actually started life as a black and white mussel shell.

There are many theories about why the logo changed from a mussel shell to a scallop. One theory states that it was the idea of a businessman who imported Shell kerosene into India, his family had three scallops in their coat of arms.

Whatever the truth behind the mark, the Shell logo has become one of the most iconic and easily identifiable 'visual shortcuts' in the world of brand.

Nike?

One of the most recognisable marks in the world, and designed for a snip at $35. Designed in 1971 by then design graduate Carolyn Davidson, the logo takes inspiration from the Greek goddess Nike. Known for her speed and strength, Davidson also drew inspiration from the wings of the goddess, which gave her the idea for the Swoosh design.

Originally named Blue Ribbon Sports, the change to Nike, and the ensuing mark from Davidson have now become one of the most iconic marks in the world of brand.

So, let’s create brand logos and marks that offer bold, engaging and brand rich shortcuts for consumers in an increasingly complex world. We know consumers attention spans are dwindling and copy just doesn’t grab and shake them like it used to. With new approaches in digital technology, brands can create dynamic, ever morphing logo types to further lodge themselves in a consumers mind.?

Lets go.

Dig deep.?

Be bold.?

Find your brands stories and let’s create more mermaids, more molluscs and more Greek goddesses.?