Logo Archives - Branding and Marketing

In politicial decisions, majority rules. Maybe that is why decision makers in Augusta Maine will deciding its branding by popular opinion.

According to an article I read on line, they are asking people to vote for the best logo and the best tag line…

There are 3 different positioning choices: the capitol, the river or their history. Tag lines may be switched with logos if a different tag line wins than the logo it’s paired with. (I’m not sure which positioning the tag line “all roads lead here” represents… maybe the river?)

Oh my. I’m not sure I’d even want 5 people voting on the colors to decorate my living room with the potential to swap elements… let alone important branding and marketing decisions for a state’s capitol. I think its the classic case of not trying to offend anyone.

They did a couple of things right. Figure out the unique positioning. Focus on what’s different about Augusta. Niche is good. Have a visioning session.

Funny thing, I was surprised that they didn’t pick up on something that Augusta has that no other city in the entire USA can claim. Augusta is the most Eastern city in the US, so the sun hits the city before anyone else in the country. Wouldn’t something “first” or “early” be a stronger positioning? (just another opinion!)

Many organizations struggle with branding. Instead of looking to customers, potential customers as well as the other stakeholders, often the decision makers will survey their friends and family to make a decision. I guess asking the residents (and everyone else!) to vote is better than making a decision in a total vacuum.

How do you think they could have improved the outcome of their branding?

In a recent post called There’s more to sales than marketing a brand by Jeffrey Gitomer says:

Just because you know a brand name doesn’t mean you’re going to buy it. And if I know the brand but don’t buy it, then all the money spent on branding was wasted.

I’m not sure I agree. I know a lot of brands that I wouldn’t buy for myself, but would perhaps buy for my kids or my husband or my parents. Using branding to build awareness makes the on-going marketing to keeping the product/service fresh in the potential buyers mind much less expensive. It’s just a reminder, instead of an introduction, explanation, and the entire value proposition.

Branding lets you talk shorthand to prospects. (I know, shorthand is an OLD, OLD phrase. What I mean is communicate in an abbreviated or symbolic form.)

Of course there is more to sales than marketing. But branding really helps marketing, which in turn really helps sales. If you’re starting to see how branding helps your business massively, but you believe that your brand is at rock bottom already, you can check out companies to help you repair your online reputation. These companies will massively help you get the recognition you need by building your brand.

Thanks to Mark True at REL for bringing this post to my attention. By the way, I agree with you Mark. Branding is not the logo. And a logo is not branding. But often that’s the most visual, visible part, so people get confused.

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Tag: Logo

Augusta Maine Selects a Branding Strategy by Committee

Branding – More than Building Awareness