Using Semiotics for Branding

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In today’s world an individual is bombarded with brands from companies all around the world. These companies start with an idea and most of those ideas develop into a brand. Brands rely on the use of semiotics, “the science of signs” (Ryan and Conover 25), to relate to consumers or interpreters. They also relay on the connotation and denotation of the signs as well as the colors being used. When it comes to the entire package of a marketing plan and branding a company or product, graphic designers need to look at how to create the brand from a visually and culturally pleasing aspect. A brand is mostly based on a semiotic design that uses a trademark image and colors that relate to a group in a cultural setting.
When it comes to branding, a company should be able to place all their marketing pieces together and see that they all go together. According to Pamela Kufahl, this creates a branding identity (43). A logo is usually used on all pieces of marketing material, especially those of a company that focuses on their brand. William Ryan and Theodore Conover write, “Logotypes tie seamlessly to identity and branding” (393). In the case of Nike Inc., the “swoosh” can be identified in nations all across the world in any color. Pamela Kufahl states, “Logos are the utmost importance in maintaining a common look to your marketing pieces” (43). According to Pamela W. Henderson and Joseph A. Cote, semiotics views logos as “part of a sign system that a company uses to communicate itself to internal and external audiences” (14). Logos should be “recognizable, familiar, elicit a consensually held meaning in the target market, and evoke positive affect” (Henderson and Cote 15). The Coca-Cola logo is known all across the world, and according t...

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Pandis, Chris. "The Somewhat Mysterious and Altogether Ambiguous Art of Selecting the 'Right Color.'" Global Cosmetic Industry 179.3 (2011): 53. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Ryan, William, and Theodore Conover. Graphic Communications Today. 4th ed. Clifton Park: Delmar Learning, 2004. Print.
Skaggs, Steven. "Building Blocks To A Semiotic System For Graphic Design." Design Principles & Practice: An International Journal 4.4 (2010): 31-44. Art Full Text. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Sullivan, Elisabeth A. "Color Me Profitable." Marketing News 15 Oct. 2008, Core Concepts: 8. LexisNexis Academic. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
White, Jamie. "Colour Me Legal." Lawyer 27.29 (2013): 23. Wilson OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.

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