Speaking of brand symbols, everyone’s first reaction may be that they think it is a logo design and that the brand is a logo.

In fact, the symbolic meaning of a brand is not just a logo. A logo is just a visible, concrete graphic symbol used to convey brand information, so that the brand can be recognized and distinguished from other brands. If you are interested, you can open and learn more: /GEAYz5

The symbolic meaning of the brand also includes invisible, intangible, and abstract conceptual symbols.

For example, the brand MUJI has built itself into the concept of "empty", a philosophical symbol.

For another example, the brand UNIQLO has established itself as a conceptual symbol of “versatile”—a super-rational aesthetic.

Why do brands have to use a certain symbol to symbolize themselves?

Because we humans live in a world of symbols. Symbols are a carrier that can convey certain meanings and be perceived by us. Life without symbols is extremely strange to us.

Just as language and writing are symbols of human communication, brand symbols are also the communication and impact of businesses on consumers’ various senses such as vision, hearing, and smell.

Color can directly affect emotions, and it is very likely to be directly ingrained in the minds of consumers. When consumers get a product, they are not simply satisfying material needs or spiritual needs, but often dual needs. Today’s popular beauty economy is a reflection of the use of color symbols.

What do you think of when you see the following three colors?

01

?Pepsi-Cola’s brand logo?

With the majestic "PEPSI" font as the visual center and the abstract smile-like geometric shape as the carrier, the entire The red, blue and white background colors reflect the brand text and form a whole. Pepsi-Cola originally chose the three colors of red, blue, and white to echo the colors of the American flag and support the American soldiers in World War II. This three-color combination has been used to this day, forming the Pepsi-Cola brand symbol.

02

? And Tiffany Blue——

I believe that many consumers will be confused when they see this color or colors similar to it. Immediately think of the brand Tiffany and Audrey Hepburn. Even if you can’t remember any of Tiffany’s iconic products, consumers have still established a unique brand impression on it through packaging, posters, etc. to continuously strengthen their memory.

03

? And Meituan?

It can be said that it has a complete set of color symbols.

From the color of the app, to the color of the advertisement, to the color of the bicycles, to the uniform clothes of the takeaway riders, even the takeout boxes are yellow, under multiple combinations, the beauty Meituan's recognition has become extremely high, and it has left a deeper impression on consumers. When you see yellow clothes, yellow riders, and yellow hats, you may think of Meituan.

No matter how small an individual is, it has its own brand.

In the same way, no matter how small a brand is, it will have its own color personality. Color penetrates into all aspects of life and is integrated into brands, becoming the DNA of various brands. People have a strong recognition of brand colors and think of them when they see them.

?Line symbols, in general, have the following principles:

01. Less is more

- Only express " "One" meaning, too many meanings equals "no meaning";

02. Strong identification

- The ultimate goal is to make people see it clearly at a glance and never forget it. ;

03. Easy to disseminate

- Strive to design something that can be said without ambiguity, so that it is easy to disseminate.

For example?

Adidas, almost as soon as everyone sees the "three stripes", they will think of it as Adidas.

Adidas applied for registration of the three ordinary vertical stripes trademark in 2014. However, the European Court of Justice ruled that Adidas's "three stripes" trademark is an "ordinary metaphorical mark" and is not unique, and it cannot prohibit competitors from using its three stripes in the EU. symbol.

Faced with such a verdict, did Adidas panic? Of course, Adidas is not worried, because this does not affect the use of the three-slash trademark at all, but it does not provide convenience for Adidas to restrict the use of the three-stripes by its competitors in Europe.

Speaking of which, Adidas was actually greedy this time. Because Adidas's protection of the "strips" is no longer as simple as protecting the "three stripes". The three stripes will be used in physical stores, products and advertising. Even if you don’t see the logo far away, you will know it is the Adidas brand when you see the three stripes. This is also the core of the ad hoc symbol.

What do you think of when you see the line below?

In addition to Chinese and English, Coca-Cola’s packaging also has a more important special symbol, which is the white ribbon on the red background. Even if there is no name on the packaging, I believe many people can understand these two symbols. This combination identifies the Coca-Cola brand.

Coca-Cola, from the loud-sounding brand name, to the elegant and dancing fonts, to the colorful expression of brand characteristics, although Coca-Cola updates its logo every ten years, it basically remains the same. It is based on the addition or deletion of three iconic visual elements: Spencer font, standard cola red and curved streamers. And this classic image has also experienced the test of time, building a century-old classic and eternity.

Each line symbol has its own unique characteristics in design. At the same time, they also have the same characteristics, that is, they are highly identifiable, easy to remember, and easy to spread, allowing consumers to firmly The ground is imprinted on the mind.

So?

A good brand logo does not necessarily have to be as beautiful as possible. The most important thing is whether it conforms to the brand's positioning and industry attributes, and whether it has its unique memorability.

Let’s take a look at the logos below. What do they have in common?

Tmall’s “T-Cat”, Tencent’s “Penguin”, JD.com’s “Metal Dog”, Suning’s “Lion”, Meituan’s “Kangaroo”, Ant Financial’s “Ant”, Ctrip's "dolphin", Xunlei's "hummingbird"... In addition, there are Baidu's "bear paw fingerprints", Douyu TV's "fish", Fliggy's "pig", etc. Domestic Internet brand logos are like The "Crazy Zoo"-like scene can be said to have a complete range of animals, whether they are flying in the sky, running on the ground, swimming in the water, or raised at home.

Many Internet brands use animals as brand symbols

?On the one hand?

It is because of the worship of totems. Throughout history, many people are fond of totems. The act of using animals to represent certain types of people and things, such as the "dragon", the spiritual belief of the Chinese nation, and the "wolf", the totem of the nomads, etc.

?On the other hand?

It is the ability to reduce cognitive costs. Animals are a long-standing impression in public perception. Whether they are bears, lions, tigers, cats, dogs, or penguins, the public already has a clear understanding of them. Therefore, when a brand uses animals, an element familiar to users, to create a brand logo, the natural memory will be high, and subsequent brand communication can also be more effective with half the effort.

Nowadays, there is a popular saying called "storytelling". In fact, this "story" is a kind of brand symbol, because the "brand symbol" can reflect the core value of the product, and this core value is an excellent product. The logic behind successful brands.