Monday 24 November 2014

Trust Me? Really?

Some years ago there was an FNB advert on local SA television. Two Cape Town fishermen were sitting on the docks, sorting fish, and having an argument around a company they were planning on setting up for themselves. Fisherman # 1 wanted to call their new fishery Arendse en Pieterse. Fisherman #2 argued for Pieterse en Arendse, as, said Fisherman #2, the name had more of an ‘international’ flavour. Back and forward they argued, left and right, up and down, until a listener (herein called, you guessed it, Fisherman #3), suggested: “how about I, en Jy.” It was funny. Now you need to be (1) South African and (2) Capetonian to get this one, so lemme explain. The ‘Jy’ is pronounced as a hard letter ‘J’. Get it? I en Jy? Me and you? I&J? Oh come on…

What’s in a name, I think Shakespeare said. I don’t recall. It’s been many, many years since Matric English. But whether you’re Arendse en Pieterse, or you’re Pieterse en Arendse, the fish is still going to smell like fish. Now if those two had asked my opinion on the matter, I would simply have said: don’t worry about it. Rather concern yourself with how you present the name to the public. You need the right message, the right feel, the right emotions. I am speaking about, of course, Pieterse en Arendse’s (or Arende en Pieterse’s) logo.

And if you don’t believe that a colour and style has to attach itself to a name so as to bring the correct message across, then consider these examples:

Blue Sugar Designs

Calm Down, the logo says. How does this make you feel? Like calming down? All fiery red and yellow, shimmery stuff? Feeling calm yet?

How sweet. Nice flowery happy feeling and calm font. Don’t even mention the colour. So ask yourself again: am I feeling depressed, while looking at this one?

Another one. Feeling sad yet, are you, while looking at this one? Has it conveyed ‘sad’ to you at all? Do I need to get out the tissues or are you okay?


Yeah. Let’s get going. Up and at ‘em, sunshine, seize the day! Or is that what this choice of font and colour is really saying? Bet you really feel like getting going now



Take it easy. Okay. Those little white lines through the bottom ‘seeeeeem’ to indicate speed but yes: let’s take it easy. You feel like taking it easy when looking at this image?



Ooh, shouting, shouting, blocky stuff. Black and white. Trusting this guy, are you? Better Call Saul…

So in the final analysis, Shakespeare might be right, and wrong. What’s in a name, really? Maybe how you see that name might be, just might be, kinda critical.

So speak to us. You can trust us. We know what we’re doing

info@bluesugardesigns.co.za