Whose mask is it?

We wear masks often to identify a part of ourselves. Masks form a visible interface between us and the rest of the world so we are seen with our chosen tribe, those aligned with the same future aspirations.
We go to war on a flag, display our loyalty to a sports team that rarely wins, wear our religious symbol in the belief that we are aligned with the chosen one and stroke our egos with logos publicised by our celebrity heroes. We even embellish our nails, face, skin or hair to mask our natural appearance that we find unacceptable (says who?)
After time we begin to believe that we are the mask, but whose mask is it? Each version of the above has been carefully designed and delivered by someone else to create their own success. They can’t do this without followers.
Nowhere has this mask been exploited more than by brands. Logos are bait that tempt us with desires including quality, longevity, happiness, nutrition, beauty, health and success and they do it so effectively, we are hooked.
Soft drinks and fast foods are known to have a detrimental effect on our health, but the logos and ads are such fun, why would we not want to be seen participating in that team?
High end fashion brands make sure we see their logos on their clothing such as sweatshirts, scarves, bags, shoes, hats and so on but the clothes themselves usually don’t last whether due to poor quality or strategic fashion change, and inevitably end up in landfill or building further the giant fabric mountains in Africa.
When we look behind the mask we are often confronted with a version of the Emperor’s new clothes, and see how we have fallen for the temptation to identify with a vision created by someone else. Learn to look behind the masks of the brands you love and design your own using the same effective strategies.
Don’t make your own identifying logo a mask. Build it from the core of your heart and the longing of your soul; express your love, not greed, for the future you want, your better place in a better world. That is how we create the change we need, by changing, identifying and sharing our intention. This is what logos do best.
‘You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it.’ Alan Moore, V for Vendetta
Learn to create your own intentional logo at https://bit.ly/4enPTPQ
Priming a logo can influence consumer’s behaviour
Simply gazing at a logo can affect our subsequent behaviour. There is substantial evidence that brands have automatic associations with specific goals. Consumer behaviour can be influenced …
Starbucks ******mas cup
I am intrigued by the fuss about Starbucks’ Christmas cups. I find that the fascination with the design goes towards proving how powerful a tool it is! Starbucks has been accused of using GMO milk, unfair labour …
Brands know they have a spirit
Refresh the world in spirit (Coke) Inspire and nurture the man spirit (Starbucks) Embrace the human spirit and let it fly (Virgin) The world of spirit seems to be recognised by brands. Many straplines of …
Taking control of logos in fashion
Is the logo ‘stripped of its corporate purpose’ if it used as a piece of art? Juxtaposed with random logos on a garment? This does not look too different to the football shirts which appear to change logos with …
Protecting the mermaid
This is a cup from a coffee shop I found in Peru. I don’t think Starbucks have found this one but they are suing a Bangkok based coffee stall over the misuse of the Starbucks logo. Maybe because it …
The first artists were women
Logos are a combination of a word and picture (symbol). The former is linear, we read from left to right, logically from the masculine attributed part of the brain. The latter is more intuitively recognised and …
Fighting over a couple of kisses
Protective brands know the value of their logos and go to immense lengths to protect them. An X is a kiss, it marks the spot and a cross stands for relationships. Two Xs is double the value and Exxon is going …
No logos in Sao Paolo
In 2006 the mayor of Sao Paolo banned all outdoor advertising, after the initial flurry of objections, now over 70% of residents approve. I imagine the first sign above is now no longer there but …
Does London need a logo?
A logo for London? The YouGov poll, which was commissioned by Landor, says 51 per cent of those surveyed think London should have its own logo “like other global cities New York, Berlin …
The colour purple
Getting a colour just right is imperative for brands that want to succeed. Purple has traditionally been reserved for royalty but Cadbury’s want to reserve it for themselves. They tried to fight off Darrell Lea …
Whose mask is it?

We wear masks often to identify a part of ourselves. Masks form a visible interface between us and the rest of the world so we are seen with our chosen tribe, those aligned with the same future aspirations.
We go to war on a flag, display our loyalty to a sports team that rarely wins, wear our religious symbol in the belief that we are aligned with the chosen one and stroke our egos with logos publicised by our celebrity heroes. We even embellish our nails, face, skin or hair to mask our natural appearance that we find unacceptable (says who?)
After time we begin to believe that we are the mask, but whose mask is it? Each version of the above has been carefully designed and delivered by someone else to create their own success. They can’t do this without followers.
Nowhere has this mask been exploited more than by brands. Logos are bait that tempts us with desires including quality, longevity, happiness, nutrition, beauty, health and success and they do it so effectively, we are hooked.
Soft drinks and fast foods are known to have detrimental on our health, but the logos and ads are such fun, why would we not want to be seen participating in that team?
High end fashion brands make sure we see their logos on their clothing such as sweatshirts, scarves, bags, shoes, hats and so on but the clothes themselves usually don’t last whether due to poor quality or strategic fashion change, and inevitably end up in landfill or building further the giant fabric mountains in Africa.
When we look behind the mask we are often confronted with a version of the Emperor’s new clothes, and see how we have fallen for the temptation to identify with a vision created by someone else. Learn to look behind the masks of the brands you love and design your own using the same effective strategies.
Don’t make your own identifying logo a mask. Build it from the core of your heart and the longing of your soul; express your love, not greed, for the future you want, your better place in a better world. That is how we create the change we need, by changing, identifying and sharing our intention. This is what logos do best.
‘You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it.’ Alan Moore, V for Vendetta
Learn to create your own intentional logo at https://bit.ly/4ayC3rv
Priming a logo can influence consumer’s behaviour
Simply gazing at a logo can affect our subsequent behaviour. There is substantial evidence that brands have automatic associations with specific goals. Consumer behaviour can be influenced …
Starbucks ******mas cup
I am intrigued by the fuss about Starbucks’ Christmas cups. I find that the fascination with the design goes towards proving how powerful a tool it is! Starbucks has been accused of using GMO milk, unfair labour …
Brands know they have a spirit
Refresh the world in spirit (Coke) Inspire and nurture the man spirit (Starbucks) Embrace the human spirit and let it fly (Virgin) The world of spirit seems to be recognised by brands. Many straplines of …
Taking control of logos in fashion
Is the logo ‘stripped of its corporate purpose’ if it used as a piece of art? Juxtaposed with random logos on a garment? This does not look too different to the football shirts which appear to change logos with …
Protecting the mermaid
This is a cup from a coffee shop I found in Peru. I don’t think Starbucks have found this one but they are suing a Bangkok based coffee stall over the misuse of the Starbucks logo. Maybe because it …
The first artists were women
Logos are a combination of a word and picture (symbol). The former is linear, we read from left to right, logically from the masculine attributed part of the brain. The latter is more intuitively recognised and …
Fighting over a couple of kisses
Protective brands know the value of their logos and go to immense lengths to protect them. An X is a kiss, it marks the spot and a cross stands for relationships. Two Xs is double the value and Exxon is going …
No logos in Sao Paolo
In 2006 the mayor of Sao Paolo banned all outdoor advertising, after the initial flurry of objections, now over 70% of residents approve. I imagine the first sign above is now no longer there but …
Does London need a logo?
A logo for London? The YouGov poll, which was commissioned by Landor, says 51 per cent of those surveyed think London should have its own logo “like other global cities New York, Berlin …
The colour purple
Getting a colour just right is imperative for brands that want to succeed. Purple has traditionally been reserved for royalty but Cadbury’s want to reserve it for themselves. They tried to fight off Darrell Lea …