Why are themes important?
Dreams are what themes are for
Creating a theme is similar to branding. It gives an exact idea to the onlookers on what to expect when researching your company or website. It’s like what smell does for you, when you first come into contact with it, before you see or notice where it’s coming from. You can imagine what you’re going to see, and the feelings attached to the smell helps you visualize what it could be.
Themes can be anything. When you have a dream, the theme of your dream is something you experience. It holds significant meaning and value to your mind. It’s like what your brand says to the viewer. Or like the style of food to your menu. The way you create a theme and apply it to your brand can gain serious potential for success. A good planned theme sends a clear picture of what your brand is all about. But even with successful planning, businesses can fall flat without repetition.
Take for instance our logo for example. What does it look like and how does it speak to you? Are you getting a good sense of what the company is about and the clients they serve? What about the colors? Do they speak about anything you may come to a conclusion before visiting their website or get on the phone with them to get more information about their services?
If you get the sense of cleaning, just by looking at the logo, then we succeeded in conveying the message. What if instead of the broom and bucket, we replaced it with a shovel and rake? Would you then think we are in the business of landscaping or gardening? Would the colors throw off the idea of it? This is what theme planning does. You take into consideration of what your company offers and give a little preview.
Bigger companies are household names
Popular brands and companies are reputable and easy to find. It’s not by mistake. They have built a theme around what makes them unique from other businesses in the same industry.
Let’s take for example, Wells Fargo Bank. Wells Fargo’s first logo, designed and developed in 1852, was a stage coach with six horses drawing a carriage behind it. A simple straight line beneath that image made way for the company name. The theme here was trust, shown as reliably fast.
Now, Wells Fargo didn’t have a new design concept until 2009, when they merged with Wachovia Bank. The design was inspired by both brands to use as a symbol of a merger. The actual logo caused a huge controversy, because of the color scheme red and yellow gold used, were not seen as a normal in the banking industry. Still utilizing the stage coach, and a motto of: “Together we’ll go far.”
Somewhere in between, the theme was now changed to a strong, simple structure, showcased by a solid red square for the logo. Trust was still part of the brand, shown by a more colorful stage coach design, but that was soon removed, possibly due to the ideas of minimalism.
In 2018, Wells Fargo yet again changed their logo design. Lettering and consistency in color also play a big role in themes. This time, they went for a more distinctive, thicker white lettering, with the same red square design, the very same logo you see today. The theme is still the same, trust and structure, but now more prominently seen.
It’s easy to see now why theme planning is important and how it can lead you and your business to growth and development. For more information about the psychology around our own business, please email us at info@cleanerspirits.com.
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