jpoindexter Brand Elements
Overview
The concrete building blocks of a visual identity: the name, the brandmark (logo), the tagline, and — for some brands — a character. Each has its own taxonomy and selection criteria. There are no hard-and-fast rules that dictate the best mark for a given company; the designer examines a range of solutions against aspirational and functional criteria and writes a rationale for the chosen approach.
When to use
- Choosing which category of mark fits a brand, or classifying an existing one.
- Naming a company/product, or judging whether a candidate name is strong.
- Writing or evaluating a tagline; deciding whether a brand needs a character.
- Not for the end-to-end identity process or standards/guidelines — hand off to the process/methodology sibling skill.
Names
Most good names are memorable, meaningful, and easy to say and spell; they look good in a logo and in text, and sound good spoken. A name is the first chance to harness the power of language, and it works 24/7. The hard part is finding one that is legally available AND linguistically viable.
Qualities of an effective name: Meaningful · Memorable · Distinctive · Adaptable (a springboard for a brand language) · Legally available · Linguistically viable · Visual (works graphically) · Sounds good · Easy to spell · Easy to pronounce.
Types of brand names classify on two dimensions:
- Approach: Descriptive → Suggestive → Abstract.
- Construct: Real-word → Compound → Coined.
- Acronyms (NASA), initialisms (IBM), and foreign-language names (Prego) are outliers, harder to place on these axes.
Naming myths to reject: the Chevy Nova "no va" failure is an urban legend; an exact-match dot-com is not vital (Tesla began at teslamotors.com) and owning a domain grants no legal rights; two brands can share a name across different goods/services (Dove soap / Dove Chocolate); becoming a verb risks losing trademark rights, not marketing nirvana.
Brandmarks (topology of marks)
A signature is the structured relationship between a logotype and a brandmark; split, vertical, or horizontal variations serve different applications. Categories are pliant — a mark may combine several.
| Type | What it is | When to use | Example traits / brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wordmark | Freestanding word(s) — company/product name, phrase, or acronym — designed to convey an attribute or positioning | When the name itself is distinctive and worth making legible and ownable; may integrate abstract/pictorial elements | Google, FedEx, Coca-Cola, IBM |
| Letterform mark | Unique proprietary design using one or more letters as a mnemonic device | When a single letter can carry personality; easy to apply as an app icon | Unilever, HP, Tesla, Tory Burch |
| Pictorial mark | Recognizable literal image, simplified and stylized; may allude to the name/mission or symbolize an attribute | When a concrete image reads instantly; the simpler the form, the harder to draw well | Apple, NBC, Twitter, Shell |
| Abstract mark | Symbol conveying a big idea, often via strategic ambiguity | Large companies with many/unrelated divisions; service and technology firms; extremely hard to design well | Nike Swoosh, Chase, Merck |
| Emblem | Shape inextricably connected to the name; elements are never isolated | Packages, signage, embroidered patches; biggest legibility challenge when miniaturized | KIND, IKEA, Burger King, UNIQLO |
| Dynamic mark | Shape-shifting/variable identity, often programmed (e.g., variable fonts) | When a digital-first brand wants to express a big idea beyond a single unchanging icon | Mellon Foundation, OCAD University |
Guideline (Chermayeff): designing a logo is usually a two-month process, but it should look like it took five minutes.
Vocabulary note: "logo," "identity," "brandmark," "signature," and "mark" are often used interchangeably in casual conversation — but this skill uses brandmark for the symbol alone and signature for the structured logotype + brandmark relationship, per the book's precise usage.
Taglines
A tagline is a short phrase that captures a brand's essence, personality, and positioning and distinguishes it from competitors. Deceptively simple, they come from an intensive strategic and creative process, require frequent consistent use, and the best ones outlive campaigns ("Just do it"). Note: in the UK, taglines are straplines/end lines; a slogan more commonly refers to a single-campaign line.
Ideal characteristics: Short · Unique · Captures brand essence and positioning · Easy to say and remember · No negative connotations · Easy to read even when small · Can be protected and trademarked · Evokes an emotional response.
Tagline categories: Imperative (commands action, starts with a verb — "Just do it") · Descriptive (describes service/product/promise — "Expect more. Pay less.") · Superlative (positions as best in class — "The ultimate driving machine") · Provocative (thought-provoking, often a question — "Got milk?") · Specific (reveals the business category — "All the news that's fit to print").
Characters
A character trademark embodies brand attributes or values; the best become cultural icons with recognizable appearance, personality, voices, and jingles. Caveat: characters rarely age well and usually must be redrawn and dragged into contemporary culture (the Michelin Man has been modified repeatedly; Betty Crocker updated as moms became working women).
Historic characters (a sample of the book's timeline, oldest first): Uncle Sam (US Government, 1838) · Michelin Man (Michelin, 1898) · Mr. Peanut (Planters, 1916) · Betty Crocker (General Mills, 1921) · Jolly Green Giant (B&G Foods, 1928) · Mickey Mouse (Walt Disney, 1928) · Smokey the Bear (US Forest Service, 1944) · Elmer the Bull (Elmer's Glue, 1947) · Tony the Tiger (Kellogg, 1951) · Trix Rabbit (General Mills, 1960) · Charlie the Tuna (StarKist, 1961) · Poppin' Fresh/the Pillsbury Doughboy (Pillsbury, 1965) · the GEICO Gecko (Geico). The pattern: a character is created for one campaign, then outlives it by decades because it's periodically redrawn, not because it was designed to be timeless.
Quick reference
- Naming a brand? Score against the qualities list; place it on Approach (descriptive/suggestive/abstract) × Construct (real-word/compound/coined).
- Choosing a mark? Match need to the taxonomy: distinctive name → wordmark; single-letter mnemonic/app icon → letterform; instant literal image → pictorial; big idea / many divisions / tech-service → abstract; name-locked shape for packaging → emblem; digital, variable → dynamic.
- Writing a tagline? Check the ideal characteristics, then pick a category (imperative / descriptive / superlative / provocative / specific).
Common mistakes
- Treating "becomes a verb" or an exact dot-com as the naming goal — the real bar is legally available AND linguistically viable.
- Picking a mark type by taste instead of matching aspirational + functional criteria and writing a rationale.
- Using an abstract mark for a small company that needs instant recognition — abstract marks suit large/multi-division and tech-service firms and are the hardest to execute.
- Miniaturizing an emblem — legibility collapses; the elements can't be separated.
- Over-simplifying a pictorial mark carelessly — the simpler the form, the harder it is to draw well.
- Setting a character and forgetting it — characters age badly and need periodic redrawing.
Source: Wheeler & Meyerson, Designing Brand Identity (6th ed., Wiley 2024).