If a picture paints a thousand…
Recently I have been working on a few branding projects. These projects have sparked thoughts on the link between a branded image and the words a company or individual uses to describe their brand or product. We’re all aware of certain iconic brand symbols, images or trademarks that have enough power to trigger a response of recognition in us. Sometimes it’s the name, at other times a well designed trade image. The result of those visual clues to us, the end user, is a residual goodwill and understanding of the product. The best branding concepts create the desire for us to align ourselves with that particular successful company or product, driving up company profile and profit.
Mostly it seems, a brand’s image sells us a glimpse of a lifestyle we’d love to attain. The mental images created by the very best of brands tend to lift us from our ordinary lives and give us the illusion of a better way, happier and somehow more prosperous. But can an image alone be enough to close the sale? With ever increasing access to more and more product information detail through the internet, today’s consumer is becoming more aware of what she really wants, where he can get it cheaper and what other alternatives there are on the market.
As a response, today’s smart branders will therefore develop a brand image that is more than just skin deep. A good logo and imagery must remain highly visible and distinctive as a tool to draw the eye in. The feel of the product must still be conveyed by letting us see what we’re aspiring to. But added to that a clever brander must develop a very clear and descriptive text to under gird the product.
Good text is more than a mere descriptor. It informs us and reassures us. It helps us understand that the company we’re dealing with has more to offer than just a great look and feel for design. In the photoshopped age an image is unreliable. Words however, or well written words at least, convey meaning and empower people to make good choices in a less emotional way. With information becoming so freely available it may just be time for substance to start making a comeback over image. And what was it that a picture painted a thousand of anyway?
