Signs & Symbols:
What Do They Mean?

©  Steve Rivkin 1988
 

You've agreed on the name.  Now your graphics folks want to add a design, a  symbol.  Maybe make it part of the name and its registration.

Proceed with caution.  There's a long cultural tradition of meanings behind signs and symbols.  Make sure you mate the right visual concept with the right name.

Here are some examples from Claire Gibson's book, Signs & Symbols.
 

SYMBOL	MEANING	COMPANY / BRAND
Star	divine presence, wisdom, enlightenment	Texaco, Converse
Circle	unity, harmony, completeness	GE, AT&T
Triangle	aspiration	Delta Air Lines
Anchor	adventure, stability	Levi's Dockers
Harp	Ireland, Celtic heritage	Guinness
Lion	leadership, power, royalty	MGM, Dreyfus
Cow	fertility, abundance, simplicity	Borden, Elmer's Glue
Diamond	clarity, perfection, rarity	Sprint, Mitsubishi

A Pharmaceutical Firm
with a Sense of Humor

After years of study, researchers have discovered the secrets of the anti-coagulants in vampire bat saliva.

This points the way toward a drug that prevents blood clotting.

The drug is based on a protein isolated from the bat saliva, synthesized by recombinant DNA technology.  The magazine Science News reports that the French company Rhone-Poulenc has applied for a patent in at least 80 countries.

The drug's code name:  DRACULIN.

 

STEVE RIVKIN President, Rivkin & Associates, Inc; Editor, The Naming Newsletter, a quarterly report on the strategies and tactics of naming. Steve is a much sought-after speaker and has provided naming counsel and training workshops for such clients as Ameritech, BlueCross BlueShield, First Data Corp., Kraft Foods, Monsanto, Nynex, Outboard Marine Corp., Pharmaco, Sierra Instruments and Wendy's. Training workshop details, contact RAYMA Management Consultants Wendy Song at tel: (03) 7044-666, fax: (03) 7044-484 or e-mail: raymaseminar@po.jaring.my

 

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