branding

No doubt inspired by the full slate of fun branded merchandise put out in years past by other big brands such as Taco Bell, McDonalds and Wendy’s, Dunkin’ (formerly Donuts) has released its own line of quirky branded swag . . . sort of.

A logo is arguably one of the most important parts of your branding strategy. Think about it — when you see the golden arches, what’s the first thing you think of? McDonald’s. You may even get a bit hungry. That’s because the McDonald’s logo is doing its job. It’s reminding you of the brand and the products you get from it, and potentially triggering an emotional response. Granted, we can’t all sell hamburgers, but your business’s logo should elicit the same reaction from people.

Choosing to completely redesign your logo is a big step. Customers have likely grown accustomed to your current look and, as it has been proven time and again, most people don’t like change. You risk losing customers, sparking some outrage and, even worse, losing a large portion of revenue from people who either hate the new look or just don’t recognize it anymore and can’t find your company.

It’s officially summertime (Well, not officially, but we only got about a day of spring!). Warm weather means outdoor parties, cold drinks at the lake, grilling, catching rays on the beach . . . Essentially, it means a plethora of opportunities for promotional products companies to capitalize on the heat. If you haven’t yet hopped on the bandwagon of outdoor promos, follow these tips to make sure you do so in the best way possible.

Lynne Lambert, owner of Mapt Gear, has a revolutionary idea that may upend the promotional products industry. It’s kind of like anti-branding. Her company sells totes, messenger bags and a padfolio waiting for logos. However, the logos themselves are sometimes never seen on the products. Instead, she prints maps with pin illustrations to show the exact locations of companies’ headquarters (or specific locations or even event spots).

Branding: it’s not just for high-profile businesses. The definition of branding is “the marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products.” As a small business, you can have great products, services and employees but still struggle. The problem could be that your brand isn’t buttoned up. Here are a few dos and don’ts for mastering the art of branding.

In pop culture, we are surrounded by logos that are so incredible, they have become recognizable across multiple generations, such as the golden arches, a silhouette of an apple or the black swoosh. Even these descriptors alone automatically trigger in most minds the brands they represent.