Communications Chapter Summary

This chapter discusses the meanings behind trademarks and messages provided by the company. Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure defines semiotics as a 'science which studies the role of signs as part of social life'. This means that symbols or signs around us become interactive with our social life and present us a message. A simple study was done on the Mont Blanc logo. The symbol represents the Mont Blanc summit surrounded by six valleys. On a semiotic level the symbol is relatively close to the Israel flag symbol, the Jewish star. One may misinterpret the symbol if not informed clearly enough that the Mont Blanc symbol seperates itself from the relgious meaning. Mollerup breaks a trademark down into three questions:

1 - Is the trademark visible enough?

2- Is the trademark understandable?

3- Will the trademark create the desired effect?

These questions can really help someone out creating an identity with an issue similar to Mont Blanc. A big problem with communication is the semioticians. They tend to think of semiotic noise as differences in culture. Context and culture cause problems not only on the relgious meaning, but as well as the overall effectiveness of the trademark.

Mollerup discusses about the media usage. The print medium can be divided into three formats, the brochure, books, and other print material. He also indicates that trademarks sometimes serve as sculpture such as the Mercedes Benz logo on the grille.

AM Cassandre's Dubonnet triptych is an excellent example of visual phenomena. It shows that you embrace the product before usage than as you sample it, you become more involved with the product and then after you sample it, you want more and more by pouring more and full color imagery. He goes on to discuss different linguistic functions and how they pertain to everyday life.

There are codes in communication such as Paralinguistic, Practical, and Epistemological.

Paralinguistic uses alphabet, morse code, braille, semaphore flag codes and ideograms.

Ex: Chinese Signs , which communicate ideas instead of sounds.

Practical are codes for instruction and coordination.

Ex: Traffic lights, road signs, sirens, warnings, no admission signs, etc.

Epistemological codes deal with the relationship between epistemological and semiological systems. Classification of calculation.

Ex: scientific notations used in science, math and chemistry.

Pepsi being blue compared to Cokes color red is a clear representation of opposition. Pepsi made it clear it wants its product to stand out strong against its greatest competitor Coca-Cola.

Marlboro originally was intended for women in 1920's, later on Marlboro wanted to expand its demographic to men as well. It used its 'cowboy' symbolism to attract the men.

All and all a trademark should have the following:

-Visibility

-Application

-Competition- Distinguish itself amongst competition?

-Legal Protection

-Simplicity

-Attention Value

-Decency

-Color Reproduction

-Black and White Reproduction

-Vehicles- Work well or read well on transportation?

-Holding Power

-Description

-Tone of Value

-Fashionability

-Timelessness

-Graphic Excellence

-'Buy Me' - encouragement for people to buy that product

-A trademark as a trademark

-Film/Television- works well on television

-Three-Dimensionality

-Pronunciation

-Non-verbal sounds- can it be connected with musical sounds

-Discretion

-Likeability- Do you like your trademark?

Summary of Marks of Excellence pgs. 1-64

The first couple pages of this book reminds us that a trademark is a sign. A user or sender uses a trademark to identify himself in the world. There are three factors in a trademark, the Owner, the Manufacturer and the Sender. It also deals with the functionality of a trademark in the world.

Heraldic marks are used to identify a knight or an army. Visual puns were used in the making of canting arms. It also gives motivation to the people representing the trademark. It breaks down into:

- Social Identity: who is this or who is the one saying that

- Ownership: who owns this

- Origin: who made this

Heraldry deals with deals with armor signs. It derives from the word "Heraldica" which means the art of the herald. Symbols on the armor and shields were used to identify combatants in warfare. The Papal call in 1095 for the Holy Crusade drove blacksmiths to make marks for different cultures to recognize one another. Today, BP, Chevron, Saab, Porsche and Alfa Romeo use shields or historic culture marks in their identity to show their heritage. A way to show customers they care about their cultural roots.

Monograms are letters or drawn outlined imagery used to identify oneself. Typically initials are used to express ones identity such as the Kings in the 1000's to initial law written documents. Like a king's logo. Earmarks are the less painful way of branding cattle, as they tattoo a mark onto the cattle. Usually when the cattle has hair grown or dust kicks up, the branding gets lost as for earmarks, they never really lose their look or go away. Farm marks were used by the Danish to mark their cattle and herd, having a different design for each thing they needed to brand.

Ceramic and Printer marks usually focused on visual puns that people would instantly recognize by looking at the illustration. For example a printing company by the name of Frosch has frogs in its illustration. Frosch means frog in german and the illustration plays of that for easier brand recognition.

As we move along in time an identity of a company focuses on its function. Design programs are used to initiate the function of an identity. Its a plan that specifies the visual forms that the company will use to present itself.

- Trademarks (Picture, Letter marks)- symbol, or letters to use in identity

- Typefaces- what fonts a company may use to represent

- Colors- Specific colors a company may use that is instantly recognized and is appropriate

Other applications in a design program may include correspondence, sales catalogs,advertising, products, packaging, vehicles, signage, shop interior, shop fronts and uniforms. A program also should inspire employees and spark motivation which in turn creates customer satisfaction which leads to increase in sales. A chart is present to show how a program controls the visual identity. Using internal identity it should reduce costs of a product and the external identity should bring in sales therefore meeting business goals.

Aside from the identity is the brand. The brand is a product that uses its trademark, brand name, has a reputation, and has an atmosphere built around it. A brand is a product that the overall company produces to get its message out there.

There is a number of corporate identity systems out there ranging from one identity system such as organizational-monoistic identity such as IBM, to a company that uses many brands such as the Proctor-Gamble to gets its identity (ex: Mr. Clean, Tide, Pringles, Swiffer, etc.)

Then there is kinds of identification. Such as Uniqueness, Value, Holding Power, Association, Description, Tone of Voice, Graphic Excellence, Reputation, Discretion and Repetition. All these kinds of identification use different techniques to portray a message to their specific demographic.

These first 64 pages of Marks of Excellence really gets us to understand the importance of trademarks, gives us examples of marks, and to really understand the importance behind the design program of an identity.

Logo Comparisons

Category: Retail

Good Logo

Business Type: Retail

Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol

Business: Charm City Cakes

Charm City Cakes is a national renown bakery because it is featured on Food Network's Ace of Cakes. This bakery does some wild cakes from small fun three tier birthday cakes to replica of Yankee Stadium. The logo is a successful because of its simplicity. The mark has a positive and negative play it shows a city but it playful like a cake. The font chosen is appropiate because it has an edge for a bakery. A normal bakery may use a serif typeface to display elegance, but this company is very edgy making a crazy variety of cakes which i think a sans serif font can display. The symbol is very effective as it both describes that the bakery is in the city and it looks like a cake because it is flimsy looking and on a platter. The symbol has many nemonic meanings behind it. The symbol or mark can work on its own with enough branding involved and its suitable for many branding applications from t-shirts to packaging. Not your average logo for a bakery but its what makes it stand out against its competition.

Bad Logo

Business Type: Retail

Logotype: Wordmark

Business: Leach's Meats and Sweets

Leach's Meats and Sweets is a family owned bakery/deli in Barberton, Ohio. Its a small business but gets get reviews for the food they make. The big question is... what isn't wrong with this logo or wordmark or whatever you want to call this. The biggest concern is there is TOO much information going on with the sign. The company needs some kind of symbol representing the bakery/deli. Looking at the sign itself, theres FOUR different typefaces going on here making it very cluttered and very hard to read. The thing need here is possibly a friendly and more inviting sign whether that be a recognizable symbol. They have opportunity for many other applications in branding. Though there competition is pretty tough (West Side Bakery, White Flower Cake Shoppe) a big facelift and new look to the company can boost extra sales, and keep this small family owned bakery/deli in competition.

Category: Professional

Good Logo

Business Type: Professional

Logotype: Symbol

Business: Mayfield Village Veterinary Clinic

Mayfield Village Veterinary Clinic is a popular place in the Mayfield area for bringing pets in. Its a higher level clinic with well trained vets. Its a pricey clinic but you are guaranteed to get quality results. The logo is well thought out the "V" represents the "Village" and it really supported by the dog and cat silhouettes restating that it works with animals, hence the vet clinic. It is a recognizable logo and can easily be remembered by anybody whose either been there or has driven by it. Nothing decorative about this logo as it is clean and simple and gets the message across real quick. It represents its business very well and you automatically assume what the business does and that its very professional.

Bad Logo

Business Type: Professional

Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol

Business: Integrity Accounting Services

Yeah this is a logo I did for my dad's own accounting business. I recommend that you do not do work for family, they only want a certain thing. For me I could change the look in so many ways. Things that are obvious. The Swoosh, the infamous swoosh. It means nothing unless its for some transportation company, maybe. This really doesn't inform the customer what the business is other than putting the word "accounting" out in plain sight. Accounting is one of the most difficult business to really nail an outstanding identity. Personally I don't like Services being put in there, there is too many layers going on. Simply an acronym may do. But bottomline, don't do this kind of work for family members.

Category: Manufacturing

Good Logo

Business Type: Manufacturing

Logotype: Symbol

Business: Apple Computers

Apple is the one of the biggest computer companies in the market right now. Its a simple unique computer that attracts alot of people because of its simplicity. I think Apple tries to emphasize Simplicity. The logo itself explains that they are a simple company and doesn't try to complicate things for its customers. The applications for Apple are outstanding; commercial spots, magazine ads, packaging, apparel, and the most important thing its products. The great reasons behind the logo are one, it can be sized down to any size and still is recognized, and two it can work well just in black and white with no color added.

Bad Logo

Business Type: Manufacturing

Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol

Business: Great Lakes Brewing Company

Great Lakes Brewing Company is a hot spot in Cleveland. They are famous for their original brews that are brewed by themselves. Christmas Ale and Oktoberfest being the famous of the bunch. They also have a restaurant in their brewery. Known for their food as well. The problem is their logo and branding. They seem very dated for what part of the century they are in. There are 5 layers alone to this mark. Layer 1: The Wheat Layer 2: GREAT LAKES Layer 3: BREWING CO. Layer 4: Waves and Layer 5: CLEVELAND OHIO. WAY too much for just the logo itself. It needs to reduced to just GREAT LAKES BREWING CO. leave the Cleveland Ohio stuff for anywhere but the logo. A symbol that could represent the lake would work well here. There is a GREAT opportunity for branding (beer labels, apparel, menus, posters, etc.) Giving the great brewery a new look would make this brewery the one and only spot to go for refreshing brew in Cleveland.

Category: Non-Profit

Good Logo

Business Type: Non-Profit

Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol

Business: American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is the most famous non-profit organization known to date. They have done great work from helping out with wars to helping struggling nations. It is the new symbol of truce or suspension of hostilities in battle. It is the reverse of the Swiss flag in suggestion of respect for the wounded and medical personnel. Its the face of all health organizations. A big thing behind it is the red cross itself. This shape works well on its own and sits in anybodys mind, the moment they see it they know its the Red Cross. It has many nemonic reasons from safety, to warm-welcoming. The moment you see these guys roll at your doorstep you know you are in great hands. No type is really neccessary the symbol works on its own. I like that.

Bad Logo

Business Type: Non-Profit

Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol

Business: Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is a government run company that works around the clock to make sure our environment is safe from harm. They research ways to help us save energy and conserve materials. The logo now has a governmental look to it with an over-decorated symbol and type in a circle. My biggest type pet peeve is type in a circle, it looks horrendous and is in no way appealing! What it needs is a refreshed look and more type based possibly with a symbol. An acronym of the name would work the best as you would be compressing all those words down to three letters that can easily be recognizable.

Category: Service

Good Logo

Business Type: Service

Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol

Business: American Airlines

One of the well-known airline companies in the business. Mostly because of its recognition due to its easily identified logo. The logo has nemonic meanings for example, the eagle, the bird that is the face of the american nation, also representing flight which is what this company does. The colors are very appropriate relating to the nations colors. One thing I personally like is the Helvetica type used. This font is a very bold and readible font and it brings simplicity to a design. No overdecoration going on here. Straight to the point which makes this logo last through the ages without a redesign. Simple. To the point. Many nemonic reasons. These are the things I like in a logo.

Bad Logo

Business Type: Service

Logotype: Word/Symbol

Business: Fifth-Third Bank

Let me start out with the obvious bad reasons behind this logo. One the 5 and 3 are hard to really read and is a hideous font, if thats what you want to call it. Second, The font used for the name could use a refreshing look, it looks too much like a Microsoft Word font to me. Third, the green shape surrounding the 5 and 3 doesn't really do anything for me. It looks like it was put there as a secondary thought. I also don't like the fraction look in the shape, i don't really see it as a bank logo more like something for math. But this would be a hard one to tackle because they are a well known bank and they have used it for many years its just stuck in peoples minds. I could come up with many innovative ideas for this but it probably would be shot down in the long run.