Can these brands be saved?

By Liquified Creative

Rising or falling, all companies have a brand, and it’s not the logo, signage, or stationery package. Think of the brand as the company’s personality.

In 2021, Axios Harris polled a sample of nearly 43,000 Americans to find out which 100 companies came to mind. These were the most “visible” companies, whether positive or negative.

The top 100 brands were judged on various aspects such as culture and citizenship, growth and vision for the future. Does a consumer trust the brand in the first place?

The top 10: Patagonia, Honda, Moderna, Chick-fil-A, SpaceX, Chewy, Pfizer, Tesla Motors, Costco and Amazon.

While each one’s appearance on the list could be debated, and consumers’ sentiment will change so the list would be different today, it’s important to note what a brand is not – a funky name, cool logo and digital presence.

With that in mind, we offer our take on three brands that could use some help:

Bottom of the barrel: Last place on the Axios Harris Poll is The Trump Organization. From their official Twitter page: “The most globally recognized brand in luxury real estate, golf, hospitality, and entertainment.” Recognized? Yes. The essence of their brand is much more.

Erase the past: Things not going so well? Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company has changed its name to Meta. This is an example of a marketing tactic used to divert attention from an organization that has received negative publicity and is confronting a crisis situation. A name change or a logo change alone does not change a brand, so there’s much more branding work to do.

Hail to the logo?: As of this writing, this brand doesn’t have a name, but a description: the Washington Football Team. Even worse are the stories from inside the front office. Outside at the difficult-to-reach stadium: reports of sewage or icky water pouring onto fans and a recent railing failure causing Eagles fans to topple to the ground. The name and logo seem to be the least of the brand’s troubles. Watch for them to attempt a brand renewal when a name is announced. We’ll be watching to see if they address culture and citizenship, consumer trust, growth and vision for the future.

UPDATE: Yes, we saw the name change! Here’s what Liquified Creative’s CEO Shawn Noratel shared when the Washington Business Journal asked for his branding opinion:

Shawn Noratel, founding partner and creative director, Liquified Creative

• First reaction: As a branding agency, our stance on the new team name is one of questioning. The original switch from the name Redskins to Washington Football Team, then to Commanders, seems to have been sort of a full circle back to where the original issue existed (relating to the meaning behind the name itself). If the decision to remain as the Washington Football Team had occurred, we believe there would have been a brand elevation and consistency with the focus on regionality and our nation’s capital. Using the “W” icon simultaneously with the new logo and colors, the brand transition is not clear, concise and smooth, as any brand transition or rollout should be. Additionally, Commanders does not provide for a lot of brand flexibility specifically relating to logo variations, mascot incorporation and the tonality the term “Commanders” itself evokes.
• Better choice: Washington War Dogs or keeping The Washington Football Team. Alliteration with the “W” would have been strong, especially with the new “W” Logo and through the keeping of the burgundy and gold coloring.

About Liquified Creative
Liquified Creative, a Capitol Communicator sponsor, is an award-winning advertising agency based in Annapolis, Maryland. The agency’s in-house creative and marketing team provides strategic integrated marketing services, including branding, graphic design, creative web design & development, strategic digital and traditional advertising services, experience marketing, and public relations, among others. The agency works with many Fortune 500, top mid-size, and enterprise-level companies throughout Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia.