Browsers, Brand Identity, and What You Value

One of my favorite corporate image experts, Susan Gunelius, has started an interesting conversation over at Corporate Eye. She wants to know which  browser has the best brand identity, and which browser’s logo reflects its identity most effectively.

Given the unveiling today of AOL’s new logo (which I think is aesthetically and conceptually barren) this is a fun conversation to have. May I encourage you to go over to Corporate Eye, take the poll, and chime in with your opinion?

In the meantime, here’s what I think:

Firefox: My personal fave of all the logos. I love how the fox (an animate being) wraps itself around the world. It’s a living thing, active, and embracing. Am I crazy, or do other people feel this too?

Internet Explorer: Bleh. This logo says ‘the world revolves around us”. That fits just too neatly into the downside of Microsoft’s overall brand identity.

Goggle Chrome: Who thought that this was pretty? It looks like a developmental toy for a toddler… we just have to find the way to make the pieces fall apart. And then put them back together.

Opera: Or is it Oprah? If it was Oprah, I’d be more excited.

Safari: A tool. Just a tool.

Netscape: Can you say 1998?

So go over to Corporate Eye, take the poll, and chime in the conversation. Then, come on back, because I’m going to rant just a little bit about …

Why Symbols on our Computers Matter

The symbols with which we represent our tools also represent the communities that use these tools.

Every time we see the symbol– and especially in the case of these browsers, every time we click on the symbol — we are literally activating that brand identity in front of us on our computers.

It’s not that the image constructs the relationship, or establishes the qualities of the brand but the qualities do get attached to the image/symbol.

We tend to underestimate the power of these ubiquitous symbols to communicate qualities and values to us, in unconscious and subliminal ways. I have argued elsewhere that this power should be used to reinforce the identity of the organization or group you are working with or trying to serve with your online activity.  (I even had a session on portals and organizational identity/identification in my Leading.com class in 1999…so long ago!)

Our attention is precious, and since the portals and frames on our computers constrain and embrace what we literally focus on, we should  choose wisely when we set up the images and symbols that shape our work.

Are you comfortable with having your work attention up for sale?

Sadly, before we’ve even paid attention to how to use this symbolic framing power for good, Microsoft has begun to sell ad space on it.

Yes, now for commercial purposes and with real money attached to it, the “theme personalization experience” will allow you to customize your Windows 7 “to reflect the things you are most passionate about”. The most prominent of these things to be passionate about are products– you know, things companies are trying to get you to buy.  Thank goodness there are other personalization options.

I do know an organizational identity scholar or two who will be happy to add Ducati images to their Windows…solely because it reinforces their research. As for the rest of us, can we avoid having to choose Coke or Pepsi, please?

Oh wait, I don’t even have to worry. I use Macs (whew).

Tagged as: AOL, brand, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Netscape, Opera, organizational identification, organizational identity, web browsers