Pursuing a Strong Brand, Knobbe Marten Olson & Bear (Jeff Van Hoosear and Evans, 2008)
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, Al Reis & Laura Reis (2002)
The Brand Called You, Fast Company (Peters, 1997)
Brand You, Tom Peters Company (Peters, 2008)
Creating your Logo & Business Card
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, Al Reis & Laura Reis (2002)

The Law of the Name:
 Brands are the essence of the company itself.
Choose the right name! Make it memorable!

The Law of the Generic:
 One of the fastest routes to failure is giving a
brand a generic name.
Knobbe Marten Olson & Bear (Jeff Van Hoosear and Evans, 2008)

Five categories of distinctiveness:
①
Fanciful: Invented or coined words
▪
②
Examples: Kodak, Xerox, Viagra
Arbitrary: Employ real words in unfamiliar contexts
▪
③
Examples: Apple, Amazon.com, Adobe
Suggestive: Makes no direct reference to the product itself or to any
component, characteristic, feature or ingredient of the product
▪
④
Examples: Cuisinart, Blockbuster, Jaguar
Descriptive: Describe the product or some characteristic of the product
▪
⑤
Examples: Southwest Airlines, Honeybaked, Sports Illustrated
Generic: Describes a general class of products or services
▪
Examples: Computer, Raisin Bran, PC, Yellow Pages
Knobbe Marten Olson & Bear (Jeff Van Hoosear and Evans, 2008)





Some trademarks are stronger than others
Clear your mark
Have it analyzed by a legal expert
Register with United States Patent &
Trademark Office (USPTO)
Use your brand in the appropriate context
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, Al Reis & Laura Reis (2002)

The Law of Shape:
 The ideal logo shape is a horizontal rectangle
▪ Human vision is primarily horizontal
▪ Shape/dimensions of a standard car windshield
▪ Most eye-catching and memorable, especially in
signage
 Legibility is critical
▪ The word is more important than the font; so make sure
it’s readable
▪ “The power of a brand name lies in the meaning of the
word in the mind.”


What message do you want to send?
Not all logos are created equal!
http://www.thelogofactory.com/logo_blog/index.php

What color has each of these brands adopted
as part of its brand identity?
 UPS
 IBM
 Starbucks
 Target
 McDonald’s
 American Express
 Netflix
When using color, be:
• Differentiated
• Purposeful
• Consistent
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, Al Reis & Laura Reis (2002)

The Law of Color:
 Choose a color that is the opposite color of your major
competitors.
 What does your color represent?
▪ white = purity
▪ black = luxury
▪ blue = leadership
▪ purple = royalty
▪ green = environment & health

Brandmarks can be either a wordmark (word in unique stylized font) or a
wordmark with symbol or logo.
1. Wordmark - Legible word or acronym with distinctive font
characteristics.
2. Letterforms - Letter infused with personality, meaning, symbolism.
3.
Emblems - Pictorial element inextricably connected to the name of the
organization. Legibility challenge when minimized.
4. Pictorial Marks - Literal and recognizable image. May allude to name of
company or its mission, or may symbolize a brand attribute.
5.
Abstract/Symbolic Marks - Abstract visual form to convey a big idea or
brand attribute.

Click on the hyperlinks below to see examples of Logos and
helpful tips for creating your logo
 The Logo Factory
 Underconsideration
 2008 Logo Design Trends
 The Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands
 A Romp with Type
 Iconic Colors of Humanity
 Color Wheel Pro
 Color Meanings
Fast Company (Peters, 1997)





Today you are a brand!
Elevator Speech - forget the job title
Everything you do matters - Google yourself
Marketing brochure, websites, email address,
projects completed, mission statement
Reinvent yourself, or create your brand today
Tom Peters Company (Peters, 2008)




Appreciate the importance of branding
Understand the “brand promise”
Decide on your brand development
Design a personal brand strategy
“If there is nothing very special about your work, no matter
how hard you apply yourself, you won’t get noticed and
that increasingly means you won’t get paid much, either.”
- Michael Goldhaber, Wired
“Like the best packages, the best calling cards
convey trustworthiness and WOW at once.”
- Tom Peters, Brand You
 Universal business ritual and expectation
 What’s the purpose of a business card?
 Means of introduction
 Exchange contact information
 Small, portable marketing tool
 Often used at the point of buyer’s decision-making
 Gives a first impression when meeting someone
 Considered an extension of the individual or
company
 Quality and intelligence of the card reflect on the
cardholder and the company
 Establishes a professional identity -- your personal
brand identity
Handle cards you receive with visible respect
 Don’t fiddle with, fold or trash it, or write on the front
 Be aware of cultural trends regarding business cards
Look at the card before putting it away
 Comment or clarify any information
 If not sure how to pronounce something, ask
 Ask a brief question to show interest
 Keep it out during the meeting to refer to if needed
Don’t ask for a card from a senior or an executive
 Instead, if necessary, ask how you can follow up with
them, and let them choose whether to provide you with
a business card or other contact instructions
Basic Elements to Consider:
 Name of Individual or Name of Company
 Address
 Phone Numbers
 Email/Website
 Job Title of Individual
 Tagline
 Logo
 List of Products or Services
 Incorporate a Three-Part Design
• 1 has prominence (main focus)
• 2 subordinate parts (balance)
http://www.danjohnston.org/wp-images/milka-business-cards.gif
http://www.bashumimarketing.co.za/images/business_cards.jpg



It is advisable to include a professional title or to include
your specialty skills.
A tagline is a brief description that can be useful if your
company name is not descriptive. You can easily convey
your skills, abilities, or goals with a tagline.
Be sure all information is correct and that voicemail
greetings are appropriate. Also, select email addresses
that are professional in nature.
What’s your personal brand identity?
 Who is your target audience? (e.g., finance directors or
creatives)
 Message/identity you want to convey, for example:
 “I understand your corporate culture and will fit in”
 “I can create graphics like no other individual on earth”
 “I am not just your ordinary _____”
 “Although I’m entry-level, I have unusually great
credentials”
 Stylization matters: choose appropriate font, color, graphics
 Paper: varies in weight, surface, color, quality, shape
 Production: printing, engraving, foil stamping, embossing






Keep the design simple and easy for the reader to retrieve the key info
Use the most important information only and minimize the amount of
info, within reason
Consider all of the design elements (paper quality and weight, graphics,
word choice, grammar, & color)
Graphics are aligned and placed correctly be sure to use the 3-part design
Be sure to not violate any copyrights or other legal naming issues
Be 100% correct in spelling, grammar, style (zero tolerance)
 No spelling or grammar errors
 Be sure all abbreviations are consistent
 Make sure all capitalizations are consistent and avoid all caps

11 Parts of Business Cards, Jacci Howard Bear

Click on the hyperlinks below to see Business
Card examples
 Rethink your business card, Chuck Green
 Business Cards, Daniel Will-Harris
 Cool business card designs, Ivan Raszl
 Business Cards on Flickr.com


Questions? Comments?
Email me at BSB@fullsail.com
Have a great week!