Corporate Branding

I'm fascinated by how much energy a company may put into it's brand. A corporation like McDonald's puts serious time and money into cultivating their letterhead, magnets, slogans, fonts, etc. In many cases an entire corporation will count on that image - their brand - to instill in the public a "familiar face." I worked at USAA Insurance before starting the MAPC program and will confess that they were very serious about using only approved, compliant forms and images.

A few months ago I asked my uncle, a high-level executive, about why Coca-Cola would want to spend such a huge amount of time and effort on advertising. I was implying: "We all know about Coke by now, give it a rest!" He responded by saying that if Coke stopped its advertising, Pepsi might gain another percent or two in the market. That would equate to...well...BILLIONS of dollars!

Every ad impression (one person viewing one ad) is valuable. The idea is that when you leave campus, and stop at the BP station to purchase a cold drink, you don't have to think; Coke it is! Does this seem like propaganda to you? I'm not sure how I feel about this, especially when you factor in freedom-of-speech issues. It is interesting to me that Coke, Pepsi, and other institutions get signed contracts of exclusivity with our school districts.

I believe that even if you know nothing about the science/psychology of advertising, you can't help but deduce that it is of paramount importance for these companies to get their logos, symbols, and color schemes in your face. Often. This is what will bring you into a Starbucks in Seattle, Miami, or Romania. Once you have experienced a product, and had an O.K. experience, you'll be more likely to gravitate to it. Even if there is a better product next door!

My whole point in this post: The frequent repetition of familiar, unchanging visuals can subconsciously drive purchasing decisions.

Thought you might find this interesting:
Forbidden City Starbucks Closes