SHOUTS AND WHISPE O IT IN SHOUTS AND OUTS AND WHISPERS WE DO IT IN SHOUTS IT IN SHOUTS AND W HOUTS AND WHISPER IT IN SHOUTS AND W DO IT IN SHOUTS AND OUTS AND WHISPERS {The Language of Brand}
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We do it in
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The Universe has shouted itself alive. We are one of the shouts. —Ray Bradbury THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [5.]
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I’M NOT SHOUTING! ALRIGHT, I AM! I’M SHOUTING! I’M SHOUTING! I’M SHOUT… —Wadsworth, Clue THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [7.]
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whispers
… and the whisper had proved irresistibly fascinating. —Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [9.]
Language defines everything that we do. Yet, few of us look at the way in which language is processed, beyond understanding grammar, the system, structure and syntax that defines the organization of language. In truth, below the surface, language’s meaning is rooted in our immutable understanding of the universe.
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Taking advantage of this inherent framework can enhance the value and impact of what we say. Think of it this way; often, the way in which you communicate is as important as what you communicate. From word choice to phrasing to aesthetic treatment, every time we communicate, we appeal to underlying mechanisms that determine the meaning of our words.
THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [11.]
YOU
COMPANIES
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Customers
According to the AIGA, brand is “A person’s perception of a product, service, experience or organization.” Think that’s complicated. If everyone in your family wrote down a description of you, how many different descriptions would you get? And those are the people that know you. Perception is a difficult idea to manage. THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [13.]
Designers, naturally, deal with language every day, even if we do not write the words that we are typesetting, placing or “visually characterizing.” Designers are the world’s great interpreters. We must find the meaning (contextual, emotional and visual) that is hidden in language and unlock it. Designers take words and phrases and give them a voice, and it is through the realization of this voice that we understand that value of design.
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To discover the power of combining language and aesthetics, you need look no further than branding, where design plays a major role in defining the way in which a product, company, service, organization or idea is perceived. Brands are truly defined by language, both visual and spoken. In this piece, we look at the nature of language’s role in the development of a brand, from word choice, to phrasing, to the aesthetic treatment of language.
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Language
Lessons in the Art of Words THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [17.]
The difference between wanting and owning.
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It’s everywhere. It lurks in your imagination. It talks to you in your dreams. It emanates from your television. Even your family is involved in the plot. It is language. It is our means of communication, and it operates on a scale, from the casual to the complex. Meaning is malleable, a result of interpretation, and when the stakes are high, we can spend an extraordinary amount of time and effort on the shape and form of language – from intention to word choice to phrasing to design to causation. Language is the grease that makes our physical world real. It starts with speech, and it migrates to the written word, a less natural version of speech. If you check your writing by reading aloud, you know exactly what I mean. Yet, few of us look at the deeper meaning of language.
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Mental Models in Language At its core, our understanding of language is informed by the way in which we understand of the universe. Whether you think of these faculties as mental models that enable our intelligence or elements of our psyche, they indelibly influence our comprehension of a message. These are metaphors that affect the way in which we interpret and respond to language.
Object Obviously, we think of the world in terms of objects. Pick up your coffee mug, which is filled with liquid and give that idea some thought. Yet, these ideas don’t have to be represented in the physical world, even though you might describe them in physical terms. Explain to me the “shape or your ideal, and I’ll tell you what I meant in the former sentence.
Space The idea of space, both physical and abstract, is used constantly in our interpretation of language. Imagine conveying directions without the use of space. Try to describe the façade of your house without indicating space. Explain how you backed into that tree without giving consideration to the idea of space.
Time Whether you have a linear or circular view of time, you know that time is an ever-present factor within our interpretation of language. Count the number of times that you glance at a clock during the day, and you’ll see what I mean.
Force Force can be used to describe the tone of your language, which might be forceful, or it can be used to describe the way you close a door, i.e. closing a door is different than slamming a door.
Causation The idea of cause and effect is like a river that runs through every thought. Imagine a world where x does not result in y.
Intention Finally, intention. Where the previous ideas resonate with our understanding of a physical world, our relationship to intention might be best described as “psychological.” In the development of language for brand, intention is truly a “big stick.”
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Language in Relationship Since language emerges from interpretation, we know that its sum is greater than our faculties for describing events within our universe. It is also ruled by the ways in which we interact. Language is an act of sharing, and, as the saying goes, it take two to tango. These relationships are particularly relevant in our discussion of brand, since we are often designing, through word choice and aesthetics, messages that people will adopt to enhance their individuality or, in contrast, their membership within a particular tribe. Another way to think about this is illustrated through a statement that I found on Apple’s web site, “Which iPod are you?” This statement evokes both ideas simultaneously. It implies that you should select the iPod that enhances you as an individual; yet, it also seeks to include you in the iPod tribe. Whether these statements are explicitly
Reciprocity: You Scratch My Back; I’ll Scratch Yours We live in a world of give and take. Culturally, this idea has evolved over time to include more complex ideas, like commerce, but the idea is essentially the same. Where the caveman once took from nature, we now participate in a complicated and constant exchange of goods and services that is predicated on a monetized system of exchange. This idea has both physical and abstract interpretations, and we see all of these interpretations manifested in the world around us. I gave the store owner a dollar and, in exchange, he gave me a Coke; similarly, I gave my coworker an idea, and in exchange, they gave me credit within our meeting. The idea of reciprocation is one that we see in almost every exchange, whether it is overt or concealed.
designed to appeal to one or both ideas is irrelevant, you can look at any
Let’ use Microsoft’s tag line as an example. When Microsoft started their
commercial statement and see the implications of the idea.
quest, their mission was clear; they wanted a computer on every desk.
Communality: What’s Mine is Mine
After they achieved their goal, they needed to find deeper meaning. Mired by anti-trust allegations and a growing open source movement, Microsoft
McDonald’s, in their brand messaging, always strives for accessibility
suggested a different idea to consumers. They selected words that spoke
and light heartedness, and their recent tag line is not an exception to
of reciprocation and relationship. Given the size of Microsoft, we can be
the rule. It’s the type of phrase that might be exchanged between family
sure that no one is looking after our particular needs. Yet, “Your Potential.
members or close friends, and it is decidedly neutral, which is the space
Our Passion” suggests that very idea. Collectively, the statement alludes
that McDonald’s always hopes to occupy. Unfortunately, neutrality is
to Microsoft helping us. We have potential, unbeknownst to us, and
not a position of growth. From a brand perspective, McDonald’s word
Microsoft is passionate about helping us realize that potential.
choice and phrasing seems to suggest an interest in maintenance. It fails to address a relevant social condition that might propel McDonald’s
Sexuality: Let’s Do It
into a new category within America’s imagination.
Have you ever heard the term, “Sex Sells!” Well, why wouldn’t it? First,
Dominance: Don’t Mess with Me Budweiser regained its iconic status during the 1990’s. The blue collar backbone of America was quickly fading, replaced by information and service-oriented workers. At the same time, women were playing a more prominent role in the workplace. The glass ceiling was slowly but surely moving up, and in many cases, men were reporting to women for the first time. The result – men were emasculated. The ideal of the breadwinner, so long the sole territory of the man, was evolving. Budweiser capitalized on this hidden angst, calling men to protest one beer at a time. Look at the language. A “king” is dominant, evoking a position of power. Additionally, for many, the idea of a king is sexual, because it uses the aphrodisiac of power to ensnare the minds of potential consumers. Capitalizing on this unique social contradiction with the perfect language drove Budweiser into the number one position among beers, but more importantly, it established Budweiser within the minds of men as a badge of masculinity.
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it is something that we all understand, even if there is wide and varied agreement upon what is sexy. Secondly, it nicely separates us into two distinct groups – men and women. Axe Body Spray stopped a million 15 year-old boys in their tracks when it implied that their libido might be heightened by simply spraying a little deodorant on their pasty bodies. Their tag line is a clear appeal to sexuality, and with commercial campaigns that emphasize their product’s sexual prowess; they have built a deodorant empire. Unfortunately, only time will tell if the success of the product is largely predicated on its shock value, which will fade in time. Yet, it should be noted that sexuality is often the source of social contradiction, whether it is the rise of feminism or the appearance of drugs that help older men regain their lost libidos, sexuality is a hotbed for iconic brands.
If you don’t know where you are going, any direction will get you there. —Lou Gertsner
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Quiet! Imagination at work.
What would your imagination look like at work. GE has built an entire brand on an abstract idea. Yet, because of our innate understanding of language, we are able to decipher the GE code.
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Mental models and ideas of interpretation aside, there is always the argument for simplicity. What’s great about this, though, is that you can have your cake and eat it too. In a three-word statement, you can imply a world of meaning. Take General Electric’s tag line, “Imagination at Work.” It’s nice and neat, or is it? In truth, it’s a ball of complex meaning. Its construction is beguiling, and at face value, it doesn’t make a lick of sense. Imagine telling someone that your imagination fixed your flat tire. Ultimately, it works because it takes advantage of the way in which we interpret language.
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to oro ry
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Come to Marlboro Country The Marlboro brand became an icon during its heyday, and even with the anti-smoking lobby, Marlboro holds an indelible place in our minds. Surprisingly, we rarely see Marlboro advertisements. Yet, as I was writing, I clearly remembered the Marlboro tag line, Come to Marlboro Country. The tag line is so memorable because it caters to our unconscious. Space is a faculty that we use to understand the nature of our world. Coupled with ideals of the American frontier, the tag line caters to our innate ideas of masculinity. All we needed was a cowboy and an open horizon. Bam, it’s a powerful brand message.
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Rugged Tough Original Strong Bold Manly Individual
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Marlboro still accounts for 41.5% of the cigarette market.
Approximately 45 million adults still smoke in America, spending almost $70 billion on cigarettes annually.
In 2007, the cigarette industry generated before-tax profits of $8.8 billion.
The Tobacco Settlement Agreement bars most forms of advertising, including outdoor advertising, transit advertising and anything that might appeal to a youth market. Talk about a brand under fire.
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Persuasion Lessons in the Art of Psychology
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Why you always want what I have and other ideas of persuasion.
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When we think about the ways in which we interpret language, we don’t necessarily factor in ideas of persuasion. Yet, in brand relationships, the idea of persuasion walks hand-in-hand with our interests. If brand is rooted in perception, a person’s perception of your brand should encourage them to purchase your product. Some people might believe that this is the role of advertising. Yet, in my opinion, this act of persuasion occurs subliminally at every level – from the brand’s tag line to its packaging to its web site to its advertising. Every messaging vehicle must emphasize the brand’s core characteristics and paint a desirable picture of the brand. Moreover, and this is really important, every single word should accentuate the brand’s value by appealing to our basic faculties for understanding language.
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Language emerges from human minds interacting with one another. —Steven Pinker
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m
The Elements of Persuasion* Reciprocation
Commitment and Consistency
Human interaction is rooted in reciprocation, from our ideas of commerce
In Cialdini’s words, “Once we make a choice or take a stand, we will
to the ways in which we interact. At the end of the day, we simply want
encounter personal and interpersonal pressure to behave consistently with
to feel like we are being acknowledged, and reciprocation is the evidence,
that commitment.” It makes sense. Like reciprocation, this is an idea that
the proof of acknowledgement. This is a powerful tool in the creation
works below the surface. It’s an idea that defines societal interaction, and
of a brand, but it is a double-edged sword. Powerful relationships use
whether you are a person or a brand, acting in a manner that is consistent
reciprocation as a touch point, but if the relationships aren’t balanced
with expectations is critical, even if those expectations say that your actions
or if they are established on uneven terms, it is difficult to redefine the
will be inconsistent. This is an idea about which books could be written,
boundaries of the relationship.
but to keep it simple, let’s simply say that brands must establish values that
In his book, Cialdini uses a simple example to illustrate this principle.
inform the ways in which they act. If you are Cartoon Network’s Adult
To test the hypothesis, a professor sent a number of Christmas cards to
Swim, you might say that your brand in consistently irreverent, which gives
strangers, and surprise, he received Christmas cards from a number of
you license to act differently in every brand extension, assuming that all of
strangers. Surprisingly, none of the cards even inquired about his identity;
those interactions are characterized by irreverence.
they just fell in line with the societal rules surrounding reciprocation. It
Social Proof
makes sense doesn’t it. Think of the negative words used to characterize people who fail to reciprocate; they are selfish, freeloaders. On the flip side, people who share are acknowledged as being virtuous. Let’s return briefly to Microsoft’s tag line, “Your Potential. Our Passion.” Subliminally, if we benefit from Microsoft products, will we feel an obligation to purchase them in the future? Yes, you will!
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The idea of social proof is easy to understand; yet, its implications might reach further than one might imagine. The idea is simple; we determine what is correct by finding out what other people think is correct. We can be discerning; yet, the idea of social proof is powerful. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself why a laugh track is necessary.
u Authority Life is a giant game of follow the leader, and when in doubt, we simply
are scarce. The principle is not complicated, people assign more value
defer to authority. How does this impact brand. Well, it turns out that
to opportunities when they are less available. Don’t believe me. Take
authority can be established in a lot of ways, and none of them have anything
a look at how often you see the words “exclusive” and “limited” in
to do with expertise. Titles, clothing and automobiles play a large role in
advertisements. Another example can be found in our most rudimentary
establishing authority in modern day culture. So, the next time you say,
understanding of economics. Our economy is predicated on the ideals of
“If I only had a more important sounding title, I could get some stuff
supply and demand. If the supply goes down, and demand goes up, the
done.” Guess what, you are right.
price increases accordingly. Likewise, if the supply is ample and demand
Liking Jeffrey Gitomer, author and sales guru, is fond of the following saying. “All things being equal, you’d rather do business with a friend. And … All things being unequal, you’d rather do business with a friend.” If you like someone, you buy from them; if you don’t, you won’t. Take a Tupperware party for example. They ask hostesses to stage parties on their behalf. In exchange, the hostess receives a portion of the profits. Even though a stranger is present and is actually presenting the products, the attendees buy Tupperware because they “like” the hostess.
drops, it’s a buyers market. Scarcity is also easily implied. Take a simple example from the world of infomercials. Every infomercial ends with the same statement, “Call now. Operators are standing by.” Yet, the power of scarcity was illustrated through a simple twist. Instead of using the obvious closing statement, the writer inserted, “If the operators are busy, please call again.” From what we know about scarcity as a principle, it’s not surprising that this simple twist increased the number of calls exponentially. * Dr. Robert Cialdini coined the six ideas of persuasion in his book Influence: Science and Practice (ISBN: 0205609996).
Scarcity It’s the antique principle. Why are antique’s valuable? Simple, they
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Tide kn fabric b [44.] WE DO IT IN SHOUTS AND WHISPERS
nows best. Case Study THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [45.]
Tide Knows Fabric Best In truth, Procter & Gamble might know “brand” best. For years, Tide has built an almost unshakable following within American households, and its brand language has definitely played a role. Look at what we know about authority. Tide’s tag line establishes itself as the authority, while using a tone that we expect from our mother. This language, when combined with a dynamic type treatment and bright colors convinces us easily. Wash with Tide, and you’ll have the brightest clothes on the block. That will make all of those other mothers jealous.
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Clean Honest Motherly Wise Strong Best
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Tide was the world’s first synthetic detergent, and has powered much of Procter & Gamble’s growth since its launch.
Tide has been mass produced and distributed since 1949. Tide is the world’s best selling brand of laundry detergent, and in the U.S. market, it is ranked number 1.
Throughout the world, Tide is only outsold by one other brand. Any guesses? It’s Pampers.
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The Brand Lessons on the Double Take Principle
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Why others look and designers see – eyes on interpretation.
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So, why would/should a designer care? Few of us are tasked with writing copy, even though it is seemingly becoming a more important idea within our world. We are, however, tasked with the interpretation of words, and in our role, a fundamental understanding of language is what separates the wheat from the chaff in the design world. Need an example? Look at the work of William Drenttel. Drenttel’s work is characterized by word play or the visual interpretation of words. These powerful interpretations enhance meaning, and that is the punch line. To enhance meaning is in fact the role of a designer. Communication can take place on many levels, but when a designer is enlisted, they are enlisted to enhance meaning. We do it by combining word and image to infuse meaning and emotion into a message. We do it in whispers and shouts, and when you sit across the table from a client, they are asking you to enhance meaning. THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [53.]
Brand Principles We often hear about basic brand principles; however, now that we have
story of Forth & Towne, which was positioned as the department store
looked at the underpinnings of language and persuasion, I think that we
experience of the past. Unfortunately, when selecting the name, Gap,
can look at brand principles as three-dimensional ideas, instead of one-
Inc. failed to coin a name that placed the store within context. If you
dimensional ways of describing a brand.
have never heard of Forth & Towne, now you know why. Context is also
Tone of Voice A brands tone of voice is a critical element. First, the brand’s tone of voice should match the brand’s personality. Let’s take Tide for example. Tide’s
achieved through design. When Milton Glaser designed the Bruegger’s Bagel identity, he implied a bagel. Likewise, the Nickelodeon identity clearly places the brand in the children’s programming category.
tag line is “Tide knows fabrics best.” The tone of voice is authoritative,
Reason
but it is also an interesting juxtaposition. It uses the idea of authority
An often-overlooked idea within branding is the idea of reason, sometimes
in a setting where the expert is often who? Your mother. Tide has an
referred to as differentiation. All too often, we fail to note the reason why
almost legendary legacy within families. The tag line uses this idea to
our brand exists in its brand language and associated graphic identity. This
great effect, essentially saying, “Mother knows best.” This language works
is a death sentence. If you are establishing a new brand, make sure that
with intention as a language faculty, and appeals to the persuasive idea of
people have a reason to care.
authority. However, language isn’t everything, graphically, the execution must mimic the brand’s tone of voice. Tide achieves this goal by using bright primary colors (shades of yellow and orange) and enlisting approachable san serif faces. The tone of voice is also established through placement and size. The statement is never large, which implies a shout; it’s always in the background, like a mother commenting over your shoulder.
Brand Tribes Another contemporary consideration is the brand tribe. We now know that many brands appeal to personal identities and like identities form tribes. Whether you are in the Starbucks coffee drinking tribe, the iPod listening tribe or the Nike Air Force One tribe, you use brands to define you, creating commonality and comfort within groups. If a brand is
Simplicity
positioned within a tribe, it must communicate with the tribe in terms
When establishing a brand, saying too much is like saying nothing at all.
that the tribe can adopt and use to express identity. Starbucks could have
Being clear and concise insures that your intended message in not confused
called a Frappuccino a frozen coffee drink, but it would have been a huge
by competing messages. When Coke said, “It’s the real thing.” We all knew
misstep. By coining a unique and adoptable name, they gave their tribe a
what they meant. Additionally, in graphic execution, simplicity is critical
token through which they could identify their collective identities.
and must account for audience, media and placement.
Consistency Like the idea of consistency discussed in the section on persuasion, portraying your brand in a consistent way is critical. First, it develops the brand into an idea, which can be perceived. Second, it ensures that once established, everyone will know what your brand stands. Countless brand missteps can be traced back to an inconsistent portrayal of the brand.
Relevance Brands survive because they are relevant and timely. Graphic execution and language choice make brands relevant.
Context Context places a brand within a category, which allows it to be judged in the context of other brands. If you don’t think this matters, recall the
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If a brand is positioned within a tribe, it must communicate with the tribe in terms that the tribe can adopt and use to express identity. Brands tribes form cultures around brands, and help them reach an iconic status. THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [55.]
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Beer Is s Pure Case Study THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [59.]
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Pabst Beer Is Always Pure Did you know the Pabst Blue Ribbon tag line? Probably not. Do you know when Pabst one its blue ribbon? According to the label, 1893. So, why is every hipster from San Diego to Philadelphia swilling Pabst Blue Ribbon. Nostalgia. Pabst was able to rekindle interest in its beer by avoiding catchy tag lines and interesting advertisements. Instead, they took their brand to the streets and maintained the nostalgia surrounding it, and according to the guy who owns the corner shop, it worked. Pabst is a mainstay among young hipsters and those who wish they were young hipsters. Sometimes, brand isn’t about reinvention; it’s about accentuating what you have. Drink a Pabst and think it over.
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Hip Nostalgic Cheap Easy Indie Retro
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Pabst is now the second fastest growing beer brand in America.
Pabst Brewing Company is the fourth largest brewing company in the United States.
Before its resurgence, Pabst Blue Ribbon had been losing sales volume for 23 straight years.
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The System
The Intersection of Design and Language THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [65.]
Where we find the rubber, the road and the meaning.
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As my grandmother was fond of saying, there are a lot of ways to peel an onion. Once you’ve arrived at some suitable brand language, you have to adopt a strategy that takes the usage of the language into account. Language doesn’t live in a single world. It is consumed and digested in multiple ways. For example, when you are testing your brand language, you might stage a conversation in which the language is actively used. Alternately, you could convene a focus group, hand them a slip of paper with the language on it and ask them to discuss it. Language manifests itself in three forms. There is the oftenoverlooked spoken language. There is the written form of the language and, last but not least, visual language.
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Spoken Language Why do we overlook spoken language? Good question. In truth, you should develop brand language first and foremost for use in conversations. Spoken language is the most natural form of communication. Written language is a human innovation, but in many ways, its use is counter intuitive. Additionally, if you want to build a tribe around your brand, giving them language tokens is important. People exchange “iPod playlists.” It seems simple, but it is rarely taken into consideration. Successful brands are often supported by a cadre of words that can be exchanged. Spoken language is also viral, i.e. exchanging it is easier, and when an idea takes off, spoken language can spread like a wildfire, moving in all directions at once. The next time you develop a brand, ask yourself if the language rolls off your tongue. If it doesn’t, head back to the whiteboard.
Written Language Written language, in contrast, is given significant consideration in the development of a brand. Why? Easy, we are writing brand briefs and pitching ideas in written form. Unfortunately, written language is often tough to communicate. First, it has to work in environments where the tone is often different. When a person communicates verbally, they establish the tone. A written tag line in contrast, has to sit on billboards, newsstands and posters in vastly different environments. Your tag line has to be perceived in the same way regardless of its placement, whether it’s on a billboard in Detroit or a newsstand in New York. Additionally, in advertisements and other communication pieces, written language often takes a back seat. When you watch TV, how much time do you spend reading tag lines that appear at the end of commercials. Sure, you know they are there, but are they important?
Visual Language The final manifestation of language is visual. How is this different from written. Well, visual language is packed with subliminal meaning. Take Tide for example. It’s visual language is packed with ideas that accentuate the meaning of the words, from typeface, to the use of color, to its placement on the page. A large number of variables converge to make a brand’s visual language. Make sure that your brand doesn’t turn into a Jackalope. There is a fine balance between fact and opinion when presenting language. Too much of a good thing might ruin your message.
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The following brands have achieved an unrivaled status within our culture. In many cases, these brands have become cultural icons, ideas that are used to define our culture. Coke
Toyota
Honda
11:30, Diet Coke break...
The Best Built Cars in the World
The Power of Dreams
Always Coca Cola
Moving you forward.
It’s the real thing Just for the taste of it … Diet Coke Life is Good The real thing Have a Coke and a Smile -1979 Coke is it! -1982
Disney The happiest place on earth.
Samsung Digitally Yours
Pepsi
McDonald’s
Ask For More
I’m lovin’ it.
All the taste, 1/3 of the calories, Pepsi Max, 1993 Lipsmackin’ thirstquenchin’ acetastin’ motivatin’
Live on the coke side of life - 2006
Citi
Enjoy
The CITI never sleeps.
Microsoft
Marlboro
Where Do You Want to go Today
Marlboro Country
Uh-Huh! (You got the right one!)
Hewlett-Packard
The Joy of Cola
Your Potential. Our Passion.
IBM E-business Solutions
Invent.
On Demand
American Express
Think
Do More
GE
BMW
We Bring Good Things to Life
Sheer Driving Pleasure
Imagination at Work
The Ultimate Driving Machine
Intel Intel Inside
Nokia Connecting People
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goodbuzzin’ cooltalkin’ highwalkin’ fastlivin’ evergivin’ coolfizzin’ For those who think young Same time tomorrow?
Pepsi. The Choice of a New Generation, 1984 Have a Pepsi Day!, 1977
Nescafe Coffee at its best It’s all about you
Dell Dude, you’re getting a Dell.
Gillette
Easy as Dell
The Best a Man Can Get
Yours Is Here Purely You
Cisco Welcome to the Human Network
The Difference Is Dell
Any damn fool can put on a sale, but it takes genius, faith and perseverance to create a brand. —David Ogilvy
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in’ it. Case Study THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [73.]
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i’m lovin’ it McDonald’s knows their audience. It’s everyone. For years, McDonald’s won the hearts and minds of millions with their approachability. Then, as more identity tribes formed, McDonald’s began to suffer. Poor, cheap food became less and less appealing to a well educated middle class. People wanted the sophistication of a Starbucks, not the bright, plastic playground that McDonald’s represented. But, never fear. McDonald’s has learned their lesson, and the brand has come back swinging. They want to become the next “third place,” and they are starting to win back hearts and minds. “i’m lovin’ it” encapsulates the McDonald’s experience in a neat and easy package. The language is friendly, accessible and neutral. McDonald’s wants everyone to love it, and their language proves it.
THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [75.]
Friendly Easy Familiar Timeless Young New Predictable Accessible
[76.] WE DO IT IN SHOUTS AND WHISPERS
McDonald’s serves nearly 47 million customers every day at 31,000 restaurants worldwide.
In 2006, McDonald’s introduced the “Forever Young” restaurant design, the first major redesign since the 1970’s. The restaurants feature zones designed for people who want to linger, grab-and-go or dine-in.
McDonald’s is the worlds ninth most valuable brand, right behind Disney.
McDonald’s employs 1.5 million people.
THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [77.]
In Meejoo Kwon’s words, “The design process is a triangle created from public perception, client insight and designer’s intuition.” Once you’ve distilled your brand into its essence and translated that essence into words, you need to accentuate the meaning of the words through the effective use of typography, image, color, sound and motion. A symbol can be developed that becomes the visual icon for your brand. That symbol can be married to type, which informs its meaning. The symbol and type can be imbued with color, which accentuates its tone. The symbol, type and color can be set to sound and put in motion, providing a full experience. In short, as a designer, you can take what we know about language and translate it into multiple elements, exploring each facet of the language’s meaning. It’s not easy, but when successful, the results are both beautiful and informative, balancing fact and opinion in perfect harmony. [78.] WE DO IT IN SHOUTS AND WHISPERS
Public Perception
DESIGN PROCESS Designer’s Intuition
Client Insight
THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [79.]
and the whisper had proved
[80.] WE DO IT IN SHOUTS AND WHISPERS
irresistibly fascinating.
THE LANGUAGE OF BRAND [81.]
It isn’t what you think it is. It’s what they say it is.
[82.] WE DO IT IN SHOUTS AND WHISPERS