Deliberations 2016 (5): #Brands

Why do companies brand their products? Briefly, a brand is a name, design or symbol, (often legally registered), that is used to advertise a product and give it a competitive marketing edge. Initially livestock branding was used to distinguish one person’s cattle from another by burning a distinctive symbol into the animal’s skin.  

Some brands draw us with just a picture/image; others include catchy phrases that stay with us. An example is McDonalds golden arches and “i’m loving it” phrase. (Even babies have been shown to recognize this brand!) Then there is Nike’s Swoosh and “Just do it”, and the Apple trademark and advice to “Think different”. (I’m told that learning to use an Apple computer is indeed a different experience!)

Some brand designs are so good that they capture attention immediately and need no further design changes; others evolve with time, e.g. Microsoft’s Windows logo, (which is still a work in progress).

But let’s not overlook biblical symbols. And the good thing is that they are constant and forever—truly not one jot can be changed. For example the cross forever reminds us of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for our sins. A dove draws us back to God’s gift of the Holy Spirit—bestowed first on His Son at His baptism, and then sent to us as our Comforter/Advocate. And a rainbow, despite human attempts to corrupt its meaning, reassures us that the earth will never again be destroyed by flood.

What brand are we displaying to others? Has Christ’s nature been symbolically burned into us so that our testimony—what we do and say—truly reflects Him? Is our brand a winning one that draws others to Jesus, or are we advertising an unattractive product that, despite being steeped in truth, loses out to other brands that are portraying falsehoods? 

Just wondering……

03/07/2016 
Sobering comments (on FB) about being branded with Christ's righteousness, and selecting the "brand" we want to wear in the latter days - the mark of the beast or the seal of God.