Graphics, symbols, brands
Posted on July 10, 2008
Most likely, it’s what we recognize most. We remember words, names, etc. but graphics, symbols, and visual images are usually what we can most often recall. They evoke something in our mind about a specific experience, place or even a person. We usually associate them with branding, though.
Two stories.
Thailand.
We were in the back of a taxi trying to get to the hospital. We didn’t know how to tell the taxi driver “hospital” in Thai, we knew the name of the hospital, but he couldn’t understand us and we had forgotten to bring the address or name written out to show him. So, we grabbed a piece of paper and drew and drew the red cross, an internationally recognized symbol. He immediately said, “Oh, hospital” (in Thai). Amazing.
China.
We were eating in Subway (Yes, we have them here. Only in real big cities) and I had heard there was a Starbucks nearby so I was curious how to say Starbucks in Chinese. I walked up to the counter and asked a couple of the workers how to say it. Of course when I said “Starbucks” in English they didn’t understand, so in Chinese I asked them how to say the name of the popular coffeeshop from America. They still didn’t understand (probably due to my bad Chinese). I told them I would draw it for them. I took my receipt and drew the word Starbucks as it appears on their sign followed by a simple star, an internationally recognized brand. Immediately they said, “噢！星巴克“ Which translates, “Oh! Starbucks”.
How many others stories like this can you think of?
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