ABSTRACT
Nike. Apple. Coach. Why do these words make us think of sneakers, computers, and pocketbooks instead of goddesses, fruit, and ancient modes of transportation? In a fast-paced capitalist culture where we are constantly bombarded with commercial messages, product companies need to be able to communicate quickly and effi ciently. Taglines, logos, and identifi able icons become shorthand for everything from cars to commodities. This, in short, is branding. To better understand why advertisers use branding, let’s fi rst look at advertising and marketing more broadly.
