The majority of established, global luxury brands have simple logos. Most simply use a serif font for the brand name without a symbol. It is the name itself and the company’s reputation that differentiate one luxury brand from the other. But, for new brands, using a symbol along with the company name or using a clever font treatment can help you tell the brand story. It can also accelerate brand recognition and retention.
While it is true that there are some exquisite serif fonts that have subtle differences, most consumers cannot distinguish one serif font from the other. Test your own recognition of luxury brand fonts that are incorporated in the company logos.
Which version is the real Tiffany Logo? One of them is simulated using Times New Roman, a common font found on most computers. But, once you add the famous robin’s egg blue bag or box the brand is unmistakable.
Brand symbols, like pictures, are worth 1000 words. They help people remember you and recognize your logo at a glance.
The image at the top of this post captured our attention as we were enjoying lunch at Sides Hardware & Shoes (yes, a restaurant name) in the wine country near our home in Santa Barbara. The shadow was cast on a photo on the wall by a cutout of the symbol used in their logo. The cutout is used as the “Open/Shut” sign to alert customers of restaurant hours.
The pig, wearing boots, holds a cleaver in one paw and a hammer in the other to tell the story of the brand. They kept the original name of the business that was housed in the building but added the pig because many of the recipes on their menu includes their famous, delicious hammered pork (bacon) that they cure themselves.
Once you make the connection between the symbol and the brand story distilled to its essence, it makes it hard to forget and easy for customers to pass the story along to others.
If you are re-branding, refreshing your current brand, or starting fresh, consider the use of a symbol along with your company or personal brand name. It can help you trigger word-of-mouth advertising.
P.S. If you guessed that the second Tiffany & Co. logo was the real one you would be correct.
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