How many times have you been driving and spotted a McDonald's restaurant. Not because you saw the red and white sign that said "McDonald's," but you saw the yellow M, or as it is most commonly known, the "golden arches?" When you go inside to order, all of the employees are dressed in the corporate apparel. This is the power of a company brand. How can your company achieve the golden arches phenomenon? The buying public is accustomed to associating a company with a logo, a brand. But, it doesn't usually start out that way.

The Embroidered Polos and the Customer for Life

Name Association: The first time many consumers hear of a company, they think of the name of the company and/or the salesman/account manager they deal with. This is the first step in building a relationship with the client.

In the beginning stages, the corporate apparel of many companies may not even have a logo; just the company name and the name of the customer service representative. And this is fine. But, when companies expand, one of the first things they should do is create a company logo. In fact, this is a hallmark of large companies.

Creating a Brand to Create a Bond: One of the first signs that a company is leaving or has left the startup stage behind is that they start to think of themselves on a broader scale. This is the stage at which they may invest in getting a logo designed.

Can you think of McDonald's without thinking of the "M" arch? Or, Starbucks without the sea nymph in the green and white circle? No, of course not. All of their company clothing has this logo. And, this is where the second level of branding comes in - choosing the right logo.

When consumers can recognize a company by its corporate apparel — eg, think UPS and the brown khaki outfits of its drivers — in addition to its name, that is a whole different level of success.