Kellogg’s will begin testing the new laser technology first with corn flakes, and if the effort is successful, it will be extended to their other cereal types, which include Special K, bran flakes and so many more. Kellogg’s reports that 128 billion bowls of its corn flakes are eaten worldwide each year. That is a lot of cereal and it seems the company wants to reinforce that those consuming the cereal, know where it came from. With a cereal that is so iconic, I would think that there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind of what brand name owns the famous breakfast food.

The main reason for this extreme form of branding is because there’s been a high number of similarly-packaged Corn flakes knockoffs lately. I’m sure it’s tough to keep competition away when you have a cereal that has been so popular for so long, but is this really the right way to go about it? I don’t think I would want to eat cereal with tiny writing on it.

-Nora Reed

The major networks use very simple ideas but have  progressed a lot over time. Often, their changes have included creating 3D concepts and adding more modern graphics. The BBC added a blue back light to their HD logo and I had seen a few versions of a 3 dimensional NBC peacock.

The Syfy channel changed their spelling and their logo. They dropped the Saturn symbol and adopted a new font instead. I think I will miss the Saturn symbol. It added a futuristic presence.

I think people often take TV channel logos for granted. They appear as tiny icons at the bottom corner of the screen and are more overlooked than noticed. They at least tell you what channel you are on if you land on it, but a lot of work actually goes into their design, just like any logo. Next time you are surfing for that perfect show to watch, take a look at the network logo and you may appreciate it a bit more.

-Nora Reed

The kids were given simple tests to see what triggered specific senses and to see what they knew about certain products based on image recognition, smells or sounds. When blindfolded, Play-doh and Crayola Crayons were held under their noses to see if they knew what they were just from smelling them. These products are not known for their smell, but they do hold a very distinctive scent that apparently is completely recognizable. Any type of product recognition is a part of company branding and although this aspects may not have been on purpose, it makes the product identifiable and helps promote the company.

Sounds were another source of identification. The short dinging tune for NBC was played for the kids and they didn’t even hesitate in pointing out where it came from. It’s no secret that well done commercial jingles stick in our heads and point us toward certain companies. Take the “free credit report.com” commercial or the song played during the Geico advertisement with the watchful pile of money. Sound is another huge part of advertising and a company that can play on all the senses has a better chance of success.

Logos and product images were another test given to the group of kids. A portion of a product logo or a photo of a blue Tiffany box with a white ribbon were display to the kids and they all were able to recognize the products easily. I don’t think that there are that many 10 year olds that shop at Tiffany’s, yet they still know just what the light blue box represents. Louis Vuitton bags do not display the name on the bag, yet it is easy to pick one out by the distinct design that is printed on all their products since they are well known items. If a product is popular, there is no need to display the name. Everyone already knows what it is.

Much like the Louis Vuitton bags, Abercrombie and Fitch also uses the nameless method to sell their product. They have established themselves over time as such a popular clothing brand that they don’t even need to display their name. The window layout of their stores exhibit black and white images of men and women with muscular, sexy bodies and that’s about it. The idea behind this is to make people think that they want to look like these models and maybe they have a chance if they buy the clothes. People may not even realize they are thinking that way, but the images play on the subconscious and the method works. Abercrombie’s success is proof of that.

Companies know that if they target the young generation now, they have a higher chance for success in the future. It seems to be working as a marketing plan and the results of the “Today Show” segment prove that this has been going on for quite some time. Kids always strive to be adults or to have adult things. It’s up to the parents to determine what is too old for them, but I guess we can’t really stop these companies from targeting them within their marketing agenda.

You can see the segment from the today show at the following link!

Today Show – Brand Savvy Tweens

-Nora Reed

Logos are so well known among us that a lot of people feel they are permanent parts of their lives. Take a look at a few examples.

Some companies may even find tattooing as a way to advertise their business. Golden place.com is an online casino which has become known for its extreme advertising gimmicks. They first started out paying known boxers to wear temporary tattoos on their bodies during a big match. This eventually led to other sporting events in which the tattoos were worn on famous athletes and even during the Olympics. This is actually a form of intelligent advertising, but where do you draw the line? Golden palace.com later paid a Utah woman $15,000 to get their name permanently tattooed on her forehead. I would personally think that a tattoo of that nature would be worth more.

With all the many ways in which we decorate our bodies, tattoos truly are an advertisement of yourself. It makes you think carefully about the decision to brand yourself as a whole or what design to get. Keep in mind, it’s there for life!
-Nora Reed

Apparently these logos are known all over the world and with people having knowledge of a logo’s fame; they sometimes use this to their advantage. A logo that is already known is easier to market rather than starting from scratch. Some sellers may even just change the logo slightly to avoid a copyright issue, but other just steal the idea anyway to sell more of their own products. Is it ok for people to do this without giving necessary credit to the original designer? Or, are they already offering credit by displaying the logo everywhere? I found these photos interesting and wanted to share how logos can gain so much popularity globally that they are used even for imitation to try to sell a product.

Although these may be comical, they clearly show how a brand identity transcends the global market. It doesn’t matter how developed or sound a nation’s economy is at the time, a famous logo can still sell a product. It comes down to popularity once again when the whole idea is selling and people know that familiarity sells because people can trust what they are buying, or at least think they can. That’s what branding is all about.