After finishing his lunch at Warung Barclona, Sarimin came across two other warungs with eye-catching names. First, Warung Bibir (see picture below). If you walk along Jl. Raya Kalibukbuk, you’ll find a big sign with the warung’s "logo". The word WARUNG and BIBIR are capitalized. The two red lips in between the word “bibir” look like wings. These identical wings create an impression that anyone who dines in will be satisfied. The full-closed-lips represent happiness and satisfaction. Now let’s have a closer look at the colours. The board is dominated with red, a bit of blue with white background. The (visual) lips are represented with red, while the word “bibir” which means “lips” come in blue highlighted with pink. Remember that red and pink are the most used colours for lipsticks. Overall, the presentations of the signboard look neat. The paint is still bright and clear. Standing not very high, the sign is well lit at night. Well, you can tell that the owner knows exactly how, and when to make the brand clearly seen and found even in the dark. On the fence, you’ll find out what exactly you can have. Ikan Goreng, that’s fried fish. If you think they provide "bibir" on the menu, you must be mad. The worst things you'll probably get are the lips of the fish. Secondly, Cafe Cinta. There is not much I can say about this warung, nor about the owner. Probably it belongs to someone called “Cinta”, or perhaps it sells "cinta", which means “love”. A picture of a woman with frangipani flower in her hair may create certain imaginations, depending on your prior knowledge and perceptions. Blue is used for the word “Cinta”, and red for “Cafe”. Orange and white become the background colours. Notice that the sign really needs painted. Are you impressed? What do you think these two signboards have in common? They both emphasize the verbal signs (the written texts) or the names of the warungs, rather than the non-verbal ones (the pictures). It’s interesting to learn that they use many colours. Well, if you know who you are dealing with, and where you gonna place your signs or logos, you need to be sure they can be visibly seen from meters away. If you were asked which warungs would you like to visit between the two, would you choose Warung Bibir or Cafe Cinta, and why? Does your choice have something to do with being different or something else? [caption id="attachment_136413" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="From Barclona to Bibir ©Mamak Ketol™"][/caption] Brand (New) Identity? Remember Warung Barclona that has Pepesan Babi Guling as its specialty menu? And the warung’s signboard that is hung neatly by the entrance? Both Warung Bibir and Cafe Cinta signboards are placed on the main road, although you need to walk several meters further away to reach the warungs. It is important for owners to plan and arrange where to place their signboards. According to Paul Temporal, a good company should note three points regarding branding. They are (1) corporate identity, (2) brand identity, and (3) brand image. Temporal says that corporate identity has something to with the visual aspects. In the case of the warungs, the warung’s identity is the warung’s visual image. In changing the appearance of the warung, the owner probably wants to change the logo or the signboard. By changing this physical appearance will not necessarily change the brand image (if you have one). But, of course this applies only to warungs that already exist. How about if you have to change your own logo after it has won a competition, and been published around the world? Will it change people perceptions of the committee, or anything associated to, let's say, the warung wannabe? Brand identity deals with what the company’s or the warung’s promise. Things like a unique recipe, a cosy place, or a friendly service are potentials as brand identities – in the case of Warung Barclona, it is Pepesan Babi Guling. In short, brand identity is everything from products, set of values, personality that the company wants to fit into their customers’ minds. On the other hand, brand image is the people’s impressions about your company. If people perceptions are quite different from what you have set up as your brand identity, you need to work hard to make them accept and trust your brand. What makes an excellent logo and why you need to be different? (To be continued.) See also: Barclona Part 1. Note: You can write your comments in Bahasa if you want to.
