Carl Jung talked about the symbolism of dreams and mythology. Logos and brands through the 20th Century began taking those up to rest in people’s imaginations. Although we agree that branding, as a practice of creating a ‘feeling’ about a company is less and less possible in the culture of collaboration (the public will decide), symbols still play a strong role in association.
So, if we are going to create this really great consorgency of collaborants, we should also create a symbol…perhaps starting with a logo, but not remaining rigid to some silly set of ‘logo standards’ guidelines…for people to understand that, “Yes, this is a project of that generation.” Like the ‘Z’ that Zorro left, or the rose that ‘V’ left, or the Obey Giant scattered around city scapes to remind us to pay attention - we would be recognizable by our mark.
And at the same time, the work itself is the ‘brand’. If we do terrible work or unethical work, that symbol becomes tarnished…like many symbols in history. So that the symbol isn’t what people get behind - it is the work…the proof in the pudding. The symbol only serves to give a quick representation so that we can recognize one another in an instance.
So, what is that symbol for Citizen Agency? We need a new symbol…one that hasn’t been used before. One that doesn’t have someone else’s history baked in. One that means collaboration and change and individual and independence and collective and strength and a whole lot of other things all rolled up together. It’s something revolutionary, but peaceful. It’s something that is simple. It’s something that we will know when we see it. You will know when you see it. Some will be inspired by it. Others will look at it and disagree. It won’t serve to polarize, but it will serve to be a strong symbol of this idea that Individuals, working together, can move history.
So, what represents you?
6 Comments
Its an interesting idea, of self branding if you will.
Thanks
When I think about what represents myself, I have a hard time coming up with a logo or a symbol. I can come up with characteristics or descriptive words, but wrapping any combination of those terms into a visual representation is another story. The whole process of coming up with a logo just seems kind of arbitrary and subjective.
Persay, when creating an image with which to brand myself, I wonder if my peers take the same ideas from the logo as I do? What will it remind people of? Will it call to mind something dark, disgusting or decrepit (please excuse the alliteration :)? Will it mean the same thing to me in 5 years? 10 years? Will it look sexy enough?
Maybe, in coming up with a logo for Citizen Agency, whatever is decided upon should be very original and memorable, yet subtle and not very all-encompassing. Akin to the Rose and the “Z”, maybe the CA logo should be something that eloquently says “CA was here”, yet allows the organization to speak for itself. Something that connotes CA, and by virtue of that connotation, calls to mind the agency’s collaboration, change, and individuality et all.
Maybe the logo shouldn’t mean very much in and of itself, and should be reined in tight enough to make sure that it only “serves to give a quick representation so that we can recognize one another in an instance”, rather than trying to encompass too much?
Umm, I guess I kinda missed the whole logo development boat, but I think my comment is still applicable… to something?
Anyways, I think the CA logo is very pretty. It conjures thoughts of Asian influences and the strength, stealth and discipline of martial arts. It stands out like a Bruce Lee in a sea of Steven Segals.
This is a really interesting question and exercise. Ironically, I was actually thinking about it this afternoon after I posted an entry in which you played a key role. Because I have just come away from the advertising world, I live every day dissecting symbols, and a part of me is tempted to tell you to fight the inclination or the pressure to define yourself via a brand or a symbol. It feels way too reductionist. Then again I read William Gibson’s Pattern Recognition and loved the fact that the protagonist Cayce could tell a symbol was right or wrong purely based on visceral and cognitive intuition, as you suggested in your entry, should be the case for this identity. A part of me as I walked through the streets of Montreal and looked at all of the brand hysteria already covering the city around me thought that your name “Citizen Agency” already represents so much, so why dilute it with a symbol that might not live up to the strength and inspiring message behind your already potent name. When I think Citizen Agency, Citizen Kane comes to life, and I hear a powerful soundtrack announcing the important narrative to come.
So I guess in some ways what I am saying is, be the first company to go with no brand.
If you believe in your idea, and if your name stands true to it, let the name speak for you and for us. I believe in Citizen Agency.
not to be ‘puddy-picky’ but often misquoted, I think the full and more illustrative phrase is, “the proof is in the eating of the pudding” - at least, that’s what my doctor tells me.
Your article is very informative and helped me further.
Thanks, David
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