The Cultural Interpretation of Animals Part 2


Animals continue to dominate society through brand naming and logos. They are often seen on the business website or on the product themselves. In the consumer mind, it is a passive interpretation of the company’s core strength that forms the basis of our desire to purchase.

Bulls

Often noted as the dominant member of the cattle family, the fertile adult male plays an interesting role in advertising. Their characteristics are observed as strong, brave and virile. The bull has symbolised strength and fertility in many cultures. Often associated with sacrifice and religious practice for thousands of years, they were seen in ancient times as incarnations of nature since the sound of their hooves and the strength of their charge drew comparisons with thunder and hurricanes.

The Vikings pictured them drawing chariots as their Gods rode triumphantly over clouds and oceans whilst Hinduism portrayed the Bull as a celestial animal that fertilised the earth. Often seen as ferocious, stubborn and lustful by being a fertile male, it draws additional connotations to stamina and endurance.

Brands will often show a raging bull on their logo since it may indicate power and raw strength. One affluent car brand displays a rampant male ready for the charge whilst a leading energy drinks company features another two confronting each other. One of America’s renowned Basketball teams, the Chicago Bulls was founded through its proximity to a Union stockyard handling meat products. Their logo however is designed intentionally to show power, strength and aggression when competing.

Deer

When running through the countryside, the elegance of their spring alongside tempered strength is a useful tool for marketers wishing to create a strong logo without connotations of dominance or overbearing.

In Celtic mythology, the female represented the spiritual side of nature whilst the male stag was firmly grounded to the Earth as the protector of forests
and other animals. Native Americans also believed they were sacred, observing in folklore a guardianship of the Earth and Mother Nature. Their traits are intuitive and tuned in to their environment.

The antlers are sacred in many religions as their lengthy growth infers a spiritual authority between the earth and the sky. It is common for deer to shed their antlers and this is considered a regeneration of their strength.

Some brand logos use the deer as a subtle inference to their products. Alcohol such as Whisky and Liquor portray the strength of a docile animal whilst companies in other industries pay more specific attention to the tusks for their suggested virility and power.

Owls

In European heraldry, they were seen on emblems to denote vigilance and cautiousness of the bearer. A bird of the night, it is often associated with the darkness as a spiritual messenger between the living and the dead. It represents in many cultures wisdom, intuition and exceptional observation. Famed in blockbuster films as an accomplice to wizards, areas of Eastern and South Africa viewed them as witchcraft tools to the malign of humans.
Aside from these negative aspects, their ability to see well in the dark is their best feature when considering for brand logos. Having an animal that sees everything, no matter how well it is hidden is a great image for the security industry.More recently, it has been associated to education and intelligence. Many business use the bird to portray their observed power and knowledge. Additional items such a mortarboard and monocle are included in the feature to intensify the message to those unfamiliar with the old proverb ‘Wise as an Owl.’ An established traveller review website demonstrates how this logo fits into their product. The large, prominent eyes are watching everything in the tourism business as the reviews impart knowledge to the customer.
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Other recognised Animals in LOGOS

The British Bull Dog is considered stubborn and defiant in the face of adversity. Having been an iconic symbol of the Second World War, it has made a resurgence in the insurance market as a stoic mascot that won’t settle for anything second best. Having been named after a former Prime Minister, the animal brings across the loyalty that dogs have to their owners alongside an unshakeable attitude towards negativity.

A well-known battery company introduced a rabbit to their marketing campaign since rabbits are known for their longevity and their ability to produce long family lines. The business performed very well using this animal to infer long life of their product and attributed the rise in sales back in the early nineties to this creature.

Bats wouldn’t ordinarily be featured on drink designs however a prominent rum distiller noted one day in Cuba that fruit bats had nested within the roofing. Having being attracted by the smell of molasses, they pollinated sugar cane and consumed the insects that roamed nearby. The production was seen as good omen with their safeguarding presence and a worldwide brand was created under their symbol. Often associated with the night, the logo was suited for after sunset consumption. Although the owners considered them lucky, the connotations to mystery and darkness prevailed in Western society but to no adverse effect.

One rising clothing brand uses on occasion a moose on their logo to sell their range of casualwear products. As the company set out selling hunting equipment, the creature was symbolic of the great forests and swathes of the American wilderness. Time has moved on and the logo isn’t always prominent but it’s appearance reminds customers about the company’s foundations in the fashion trade.

Always consider why an animal makes an appearance in the brand logo. It could be there for aesthetic pleasure, however there is usually a deeper meaning behind the brand and often the facts give us a deeper understanding of how a business operates.


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