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Branding Libraries and
Their Services
Michael Leach
Harvard University & Simmons GSLIS
7 November 2008
Look at the following& ask yourself:
• What word or words immediately come to mind when I see this logo?
• What do I think about when I see this logo?
Logo One
Logo Two
Logo 3
First Logo: Nike
• What did you first association with this logo?
– Sneakers
– Sports
– An active lifestyle
– Style in general
– Other:
Second Logo: McDonald’s
• What did you first association with this logo?– Food
– Fast Food
– French fries and hamburgers
– A clown
– Kids
– Other…
Third Logo: Mercedes-Benz
• What did you first association with this logo?
– Car
– Luxury car
–Money
– Status
– Style
– Other….
Read/Listen to the Following:Can you complete the line &
Identify the Brand
1. “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh…”
2. “My bologna has a first name…”
3. “Where’s the _______ ? (one word for a meat)
4. “Read my _______? No new ________ .”
In all the previous examples…
• The image/phrase/words conjured up:– A precise image of a product and/or service and/or company and/or person
– Was easy to associate• Almost unconsciously
• We can do this because of our collective exposure to advertisements and our pop culture immersion– Note: someone living without a TV would have difficulty with some associations
Two versions of the same logo:What does the “i” stand for?
And what does this “conjure”up?
Prior two logos
• The
– Is short hand for “information”
– Especially for tourist information
– Recognized world-wide
• The
– Is short hand for “library”
– Do you see the “L” in this logo?
– Recognized in many parts of the world
Logo & Tagline
• These are the images and words for your brand
• Reflect the values of your brand
– Your library, service, collection, etc.
• You want quick identification and association
– Between logo/tagline & actual brand
What is a Brand?
• Basically, a “mental shortcut”
– Images/words (logo/tagline) that represent a more complex object
• Your service, collection, library, etc.
• The brand should spark
– Instant recognition
• Of your service, collection, library, etc.
– Associations of
• Ideas & Concepts & Feelings
To Brand
• You need something to “sell”
– Product/Collection
– Service
– Institution/Company
– Person (usually for politics/entertainment)
• You need an audience (or audiences)
• You need a marketing plan
Brand=Something to “Sell”:A Library Perspective
• Service
– Reference
– ILL/Document Delivery
• Collection (product)
– Downloadable audio books
– Popular DVD movies
• Institution
–Meeting space
– All of the above
An Audience: i.e. Patrons
• Who would use your “brand”
– Large print books: senior patrons
– Downloadable audio books: patrons on the go (e.g. commuters)
– Instant messaging reference service: undergraduate students
– Electronic reserves: faculty & students
– The library as a whole: your citizens
Audience–Brand Connection
• One designs a brand with the audience always in mind
• So, know your audience
–What they like
–What they don’t like
– Their collective experience
• Baby Boomers and Gen X’rs have different cultural experiences
Marketing Plans helps answer:
• Who are you targeting?
– The audience
• What are you marketing?
– Service, product, or institution
• Shared icons, visuals, words, meanings, associations, etc.
– Logo & tagline
– Between audience and your product/service/institution
With all this said:
• What do you plan on branding?
• Most libraries brand the institution
– The library as a whole
• Many libraries share brands
– OPAC (consortial) or electronic resource
– A program or service
• You can have more than 1 brand at any give time
–More than one service, collection, etc.
@ Brand for Programs
Some OPAC Brands
Branding Models
• Different models depending on whom you read
• Three common brand models:
– Objective
– Emotional/Subjective
– Viral/Word-of-Mouth
• Choosing the brand model
– Depends on how you want to connect to your audience
Objective Brand Model
• You appeal to a person’s “brain”
• Image/word choices focus on
– Statistics
– Physical features
– Design
– Business “look and feel”
• Think of Volvo, IBM,
Emotional/SubjectiveBrand Model
• You appeal to a person’s “heart”
• Image/word choices focus on
– Building an emotional bond
• “You’ll just love this product”
– Social connections
– Status
• Think of Coach, Chanel
Viral/Word-of-Mouth Brand Model
• You appeal to a person’s “hip” factor
• Image/word choices focus on
– Unique
– Cutting edge
– Out of the ordinary
– Avant garde
– Short life span (fads change)
• Think of Snapple, VW Bug
• Rarely used with libraries
Colors and Brand Models• Objective models tend to use
– Cool colors
– Blues, purples, grays
• Subjective models tend to use
–Warm colors
– Reds, oranges, yellows
• Green straddles the warm/cool divide
Brand Model for Libraries
• Most libraries choose the ObjectiveBrand model
– Fits with our cultural perception
Books!!• Models can intermingle
– Objective and Subjective components
–We’ll see examples shortly
When Creating the Logo• Keep image simple
• Keep image recognizable
• Which brand model(s) works best
–Which colors work best
• Patron perceptions
–What do you want them to think about when they see your brand?
–What do you want them to feel when they see your brand?
Look at these:
Two Public Libraries
• What are they selling?
– The whole library? Books?
• What model(s) are they using?
• Which brand looks “old fashioned”
• Which brand looks “hip/modern”
–What do the colors “tell you”?
• Which logo do you like more?
–Why?
Look at this brand logo:
Cherry Hill PL
• What are they “selling”?
– The Whole Library
• What model are they using?
– Objective and subjective
– Book symbol
– Heart symbol
– Using red font colors
– Blue color also part of logo
Your reaction now to this:
Dunedin PL
• Use of objective symbols
– Books
– Keys
– CD
• Mixed color response
–What is your reaction to the plaid CD?
–What about the color of the book & keys
– Do the color choices reflect the brand model choice?
Look at these two brands
Stylized Logo
• A common trend in branding
• Image becomes abstract
– Yet still recognizable
– Both logos/brands are
• Transition between old, conservative values and new, modern values
• What about choice of colors?
What is your reaction to:
Washoe County PL
• What model are they using?
• What do the images convey?
– The open book
– The “winding road”
– The blue globe
What is your reaction to:
Medina County PL
• What model(s) are they using?
– How can you tell?
• Does this brand logo feel:
–Modern?
– Conservative?
– Inviting?
– Other?
• Do the sun’s rays resemble anything?
Now see the logo on a page
Medina County PL
• You can not read the words embedded in this logo when it is placed on their web page
• But
– The sun still shines
– The image retains its “quirky moderness”
– I.e. you recognize it
When to use your brand
• As much as you can
• Exposure is key
• People need to see a brand before they can associate with it
• That is why companies advertise
– Libraries usually don’t advertise the same way
– But there are other “ways” to advertise
“Advertising” your Brand
• Web sites
–Main site
– Photo & Calendar sites
– “Friends” sites
• All stationary
• Check out slips
• Program flyers
• Anywhere the library “is”
Final Example 1
Darien, CT, PL
• What model are they using?
– Objective
• What is the symbol?
– Open book, in motion
– Highly stylized, modern
• What colors do they use?
– Cool, objective colors
• With a bit of green
Note the use of the logo:
Further use of the logo
Final Example 2
Norwell PL
• Note the use of:
– Vase/tree/branch image
– Tag line: “Branch Out – at your library”
– Choice of colors
• Brown & green
• Supports tag line and brand
Brand with whole “look”
Norwell PL Web site
• Brand and site design align
• Whole site becomes part of brand
• Note:
– Consistent use of color throughout
– Structure and colors reflect logo & tagline
• Is this objective brand modeling? Subjective? Or Both?
Your Employees
• Focus so far has been:
– On image & words (visuals)
• People can also be a brand
– Good service = good brand image
– Bad service = bad brand image
• Despite the look of your logo & the cleverness of your tagline
• Everything must reflect the brand
– Especially if your brand = the library
Final Points• Clear
– Logo & Tagline send same message
–Message understood by audience(s)
– Staff understand & emulate brand
• Consistent
– One set of logos/tagline for a brand
• Continuous
– Over time, by everyone in the library
• Across all media
–Web, print, etc.
