So in class, we hear all about the importance of brands and how a name/logo can affect a consumer’s buying decisions. It is amazing to see how much value a brand creates for a product.  And it happens a lot more often than we realize. For example, how many of us judge the quality of a handbag based on the name engraved on it ? If there were two bags that looked exactly the same, I would probably pick the one I perceive as a better brand, like ‘Michael Kors’ over something like…”Aldo.” They’re both associated with good quality but Michael Kors is known for expensive designer wear and  high fashion. And if it makes me look rich and stylish, why not?

And then it got me wondering how many brands have actually been successful at representing the image they originally intended to. One big brand that has definitely done well is Apple. When most people think of Apple, they think of their classy ads, elegant design, and high prices. It is regarded as a desirable and trendy brand. Google too has established a great brand image. When you think of Google you think of huge banks of information and the source of everything you need to know. “Google” has even become a verb as in “Why don’t you google it?” That’s how good they are. On the other hand, there are brands that may be well-recognized but have failed to portray the image they were meant to. For example it was brought to my attention by a picture I found on the internet recently that the Pepsi brand has slowly slipped into the shadow of Coke. Rather than differentiating themselves and competing, it has become more of a second choice or a replacement for Coke. This is how brands go wrong. And it would take an amazing marketing strategy to turn it around. There’s a whole blog out there full of well-known logos and how they are usually perceived. Take a look, I think you’ll find it amusing.