Not all brand logos and themes come from an obvious source. I was recently reading a post from friend and consultant Seth Kahan about the “keystones” to a business – the core message and principle. Seth’s post was very perceptive, and often the “keystone” is capture in the brand and logo created by the company; but while the brand and the keystone for business should overlap, they are not the same thing. The brand is the part of the tangible persona of the keystone.
What really blew me away from Seth’s post was something I learned about a brand and logo that I have seen and used thousand’s of times over my life. How many times have you picked up a bottle of Heinz ketchup? Most know that Heinz is a family name and that it comes from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. But I had never really paid attention to the Heinz logo and what it is or what it means.
Well, the Heinz logo is literally a “keystone”! Why? Pennsylvania is the “keystone” state. A great logo – it is simple. It is unique. It has meaning and a story behind it. It symbolizes strength and significance. I love it.
And even better, the logo, the bottle, and the “57 varieties” phrase are all protected and registered trademarks [click trademark/image for USPTO records]:
– canned baked beans, chili sauce, ketchup, vinegar, canned soups, and meatless sauces
– canned goods and bottled goods – namely, sauces for vegetables and meats
– “The mark consists of a glass bottle, the lower portion of which contains eight hexagon panels which are round on the top and bottom and the upper portion which tapers inward slightly from the top of the panels to the top of the bottle and cap thereto.” Registered for tomato ketchup.
– ketchup
catchup, sauces
What is the keystone of your business? Does your brand – brand name, logo, slogan – capture it in some way?
