Brand DNA – instant recognition

April 19, 2007 by 1 Comment

Seth Godin has an insightful post on how quickly certain things (such as the first notes of a song) can register on us, and bring up the “brand” represented.

Off the top of my head, I think this type of imparted Brand DNA comes from at least 3 things:

– Repetition

– Consistency

– Strong (hopefully, positive!) association

Recently, one of my sons, who is taking drum lessons, was given a CD to learn from, by a rock group from the 70’s. I vaguely recalled the name of the group but couldn’t “place” the song names in my head. However, moments after the CD started to spin, I had the whole song flooding back from memory. Repetition, don’t you know, from years ago.

I remember, over a decade ago now, when I used to fly more regularly into Chicago, that there was (and still is) a Starbucks located at the entrance to O’Hare’s Terminal E/F. Coming into that city, my nose would be attuned to this positive association, and it was always there. Plus, they had one at McCormick Center, where I’d be each year for a trade show in November – and I’d unfailingly walk however long it was in that gargantuan place to get my morning Starbucks. Those experiences helped embed the Starbucks DNA into my system.

Now, if I could just get a piece of Seth’s DNA and graft it into my makeup!

Filed under Branding, Quickies

About Steve Woodruff
Steve Woodruff is a blogger, a Connection Agent, and a consultant in the pharma/healthcare industry. He specializes in helping people and companies make mutually beneficial connections.

One Response to Brand DNA – instant recognition

  1. Jim says:
    May 17, 2007 at 1:09 am

    I used to have a similar experience years ago when I would travel daily through the port authority on my way into NYC. After gritting my teeth through a commute on a NJT bus that smelled like a gas station and was ever in need of new suspension, followed by a tip-toe through or hop over the human obstacles strewn across stairwells in pre-Giuliani New York, I’d push through the double doors leading into the lobby to be greeted by the wonderful smell of a Timothy’s coffee shop. I’ve never considered myself an authority on good coffee and I’m relatively certain that Timothy’s would not make a top 10 list of best blends, but that welcoming aroma which was often the first (and far to often the last) pleasant experience of my day had such a profound impact on my psyche that even today, 17 years later, whenever I catch a wiff of java in a public setting, it’s not the Starbuck’s logo that pop’s into mind, but Timothy’s.