A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words…But What About a Logo?

What’s in a name? No really, I want to know. Why are some consumers (admittedly, myself included) willing to pay more for a shirt with a logo on it than they will for a meal? Other than those occasional “special” dinners at upscale restaurants where the cost of a meal for one person is somewhere between $80 and $100, I would guess most of us pay less than $20 for dinner on an average night. When it comes to other, more image-building items, however, a simple logo (such as the BMW symbol or the Lacoste alligator) raises the price well past twenty bucks.

So I’m just wondering, what does it? Is it the trend-setting celebs and debutantes seen sporting these tiny symbols? Or, is it the brilliant marketing folk behind each name? (I think we all know my opinion here.)

Before you make up your mind, I have a test in place to find out how much a logo can really do. The basis for the test is actually what propelled this entire blog-scussion….

When I’m not working at Solid Cactus, my other job is bartending at Chesik’s, a small bar in Elmhurst, PA (if you’re from the Scranton area, come check it out). A few nights ago, the owner approached me about possibly hiring a stand-up comedian to perform at the bar sometime in April. Since business has been very slow for all of the bars in the area, including Chesik’s, he wanted my opinion on whether or not this comedian would attract a crowd. His big selling point? The comedian said he would be willing to supply the flyers for this event with…here is where the test comes in…the Comedy Central logo appearing on every flyer.

Now we’re back where we started. Is this logo going to bring a crowd to Chesik’s? Or, will the night be a joke (no pun intended)?