Competition

- Unless my name is UPS,…I'm willing to bet you'd council me with sage advice…not to identify my new delivery service…using a shield-shaped logo on a big, brown van.…And aside from avoiding subpoenas for infringement,…there's a good reason to avoid using Magenta…in mobile communications…or a Tiffany blue box in the jewelry field.…Hucksters and charlatans may like preying on the unaware,…but as a brand expert…you're expected to help your client differentiate.…

And only by being intimately aware of the competition.…Can you help your client leverage their position…to the best advantage?…Likely, your clients will be familiar…with all of their substantive competitors.…I usually acquire examples of each of the competitors' logos…or other pertinent visuals for reference.…These materials tell me a great deal…about how they present themselves to the market.…It informs me in considering what works for them and why.…

Does their reputation align with their visual aesthetic…or not?…But, most of all,…it serves as a notice to avoid trespassing.…