CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Souvenir is anything produced in remembrance of place, event or person with outstanding

performance. It is at times means those products that most tourists are buying and bringing back

to their homeland and the main purpose is to commensurate occasions, events and as

appreciation for term of patronage in business. The corporate organizations have moved the

souvenir as corporate gestures in recognition of business conducted or as part of business

promotions. Companies that wish to purchase corporate souvenirs can choose from a seemingly

endless range of items and purpose of the gift.

The first category are those which are given generally low in value, high volume, less personal

items that are used mainly to promote a company’s name. the second are the standard gift which

suit most occasions of gift, giving and cover range of prices, but always achieve a higher

perceived value that ‘giveaway’ are presented in a more personal manner. The final category

contains luxury souvenirs/gifts that are high value, low volume items that address an individual

and carry prestige often based on strong brands(Mintel, 1997). If used properly, they provide the

company with a valuable means of strengthening relationships with its key customers and

employees, creating goodwill, fostering new relationship and promoting the company’s

business(Pachter, 1995). Souvenirs are generally perceived as a sales promotion tool by

companies as they should be used as an integral part of the public branding to synergies and

support other promotion activities.

Corporate souvenirs are an important tool in the branding publicly. In the corporate world,

souvenir giving can be a double-edge sword (Pachter, 1995). If used properly, they provide the

company with a valuable means of strengthening relationships with its key customers and
employees, creating goodwill, fostering new relationships and promoting the company’s

business. A properly timed and appropriate souvenir is one of the best ways of conveying the

important message that a relationship matters (Davis, 1996).

Brand can be defined as the use of a name, a term, symbol/design or any other feature that

identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those other sellers. Brand is also an idea or

image people have in mind when thinking about specific products, services and activities of a

company both in practical e.g. the bag is light-weight and emotional way; the shoe makes me

feel powerful, etc. it is therefore not just physical features that create a brand but also the feelings

that consumers develop towards the company and its product. Branding distinguish similar

products of different manufacturers. A product can easily copied by other player in a market, but

a brand will always be unique. For example, Pepsi and Coca-cola taste very similar, however for

some reason, some people feel more connected to Coca-Cola, others to Pepsi and vice-versa.

Brands are an asset in the financial sense. Thus brand manifests their impact at three primary

levels; consumer market, product market and financial market. The value accused by these

various benefits is often called ‘Brand publicity’. A general knowledge base of the elements, or

factors that contribute to the success of corporate souvenir brand publicity is in high demand, but

low supply. The appropriate application of design factors and the lack of research on corporate

souvenir specimen to be used, makes it difficult for designers to create successful branding

public campaigns. The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of corporate souvenir as a

means of branding of a product publicly.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

As important as corporate souvenir is as discussed from the background. There are some

problems which comes up with branding a corporate souvenir such as determination of budget to
be spent; challenges of sourcing and shipping gift; issues of selection of right gift to be used for

corporate souvenir and branding; issues of quality check; and delivery logistics which may be

herculean task and pull off company from branding with corporate souvenir.

Otherwise, corporate souvenir may be construed as bribery to some set of people (that is, may be

a conflict of interest to accept the gift); the gift can miss the mark; above all, it is a confusing and

stressful process. All these are problems that need finding out on the effect of corporate souvenir

as a means of branding of a product publicly.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of corporate souvenir as a means of branding

publicly. Specifically, the study will find out:

 What is corporate souvenir?

 What is branding?

 What branding entails and how corporate souvenirs can be used to promote a brand.

 How Branding has influenced on choice of products as a result of corporate souvenirs.

 To analyse the effect of corporate souvenir through branding of a product with graphics

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions:

i. To examine what corporate souvenir is

ii. To examine what branding is?

iii. To examine what branding entails and how corporate souvenirs can be used to promote a

brand?
iv. To determine if branding publicly has influence on choice of products as a result of

corporate souvenirs?

v. To examine the effect of corporate souvenir through branding of a product with graphics?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study will significantly dissect the effect of corporate souvenir as a means to branding

publicly. Posit, it has been very useful to the success and survival of corporate organizations

(private and public) and essential tool in the hands of Department of Marketing that is saddled

with sole responsibility of sustaining corporate branding.

Corporate souvenir speaks volume of every business entity and can be promoted through

branding because branding does tell consumers many things; they are implicit and explicit

information. Brands may act as a means of risk reduction, particularly in purchase situations

where other information is less than perfect (Kapferer, 1992).

Again, the findings of this study will provide additional knowledge to students in the fields and

Department of Creative Arts. Brands are vital for market exchanges because they provide the

means for differentiating one offering from another. Moreover, brand names are also important

as a conduit for corporate souvenir. Keller (1993) describes brand as a function of the mental

associations consumers have with the brand name. Bharadwaj et al. (1993) also note that strong

brand names and symbols positively influence brand equity directly and indirectly through their

influence on perceived quality.

Also, the findings of this study will basically help detailing the indispensability of Creative Arts

Departs (TASUED) in the promotion of corporate souvenir as a means for branding of product

with graphics as well as educating consumers in order to differentiate between product name and
product quality, as Brands are also thought to provide clues as to quality levels prior to making a

purchase (Akerlof, 1970; Bharadwaj et al., 1993; Rao and Ruekert, 1994; Wernerfelt, 1988).

Finally, the findings of this study will provide the basis for further studies.

1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The scope of this study is to find out the effect of corporate souvenir as a means of branding

publicly of a product with Graphics. While it will be limited to the following factors:

i. Time constraints

ii. Just a specific souvenir will be branded

iii. The research is limited in scope to the university environment

iv. Financial incapacity to get a first class grade of souvenir for branding publicly.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Corporate Souvenir: A corporate souvenir can be anything from stationary to an all-inclusive

gift items

Branding: It is a product strategy referring to a symbol or design or a combination of them for

the purpose of product identification and differentiation from other.
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

The chapter deals with the effect of corporate souvenir as means for brand publicity. This chapter

shall be reviewed under the following subheading:

2.1 Conceptual framework

 The concept of Corporate Souvenir

 Branding: Meaning and Purpose

 Corporate Souvenir as a means of brand publicity

 The role of Graphics in Branding corporate souvenir

 Branding Decisions and challenges

 About Tai-Solarin University of Education

 The Department of Creative Arts, TASUED

2.2 Theoretical Framework

2.3 Review of Past Related Study

2.4 Appraisal of reviewed study

2.1 Conceptual Framework

2.1.1 The Concept of Corporate Souvenir

Just as souvenir is very important to humans as succinctly explained in the background to this

study, it is equally important to corporate organizations and it is what led to its evolution and
revolution of Corporate souvenir. Evolution because it gradually and steadily emerges and

subsequently be reputed for and by it and revolution because it is vigorously being campaigned

about, budgetary pursued and vehemently propagated using all means and platforms available so

as to be “identified” with and by it.

Corporate Souvenir is the combination of color schemes, designs, words and so on; that a firm

employs to make a visual statement about itself and to communicate its business philosophy.

Management needs to secure an identity of interests with shareholders and protect an identity

between the company's own interests and those of the local community.

A Corporate souvenir (CS) is the manner which a corporation, firm or business presents

themselves to the public such as customers and investors as well as employees. Corporate

souvenir is a primary goal of the corporate communications, for the purpose to maintain and

build the identity to accord with and facilitate the corporate business objectives. The corporate

souvenir is typically visualized by way of branding and the use of trademarks but it can also

include things like product design, advertising, public relations and the rest that are related and

relevant. In general, this amounts to a corporate title, logo (logotype and or logogram) and

supporting devices commonly assembled within a set of corporate guidelines. These guidelines

govern how the identity is applied and usually include approved colour palettes, typefaces, page

layouts, fonts and others.

2.1.1.1. Color

Color is all around us and without even knowing it, we process colors as emotions or

experiences. When anyone opens their eyes, their mind goes through a sequence of visual

perceptions. Although the shape of an object is the first thing processed, color is recognized
before the brain even registers the content (Wheeler, 2011). When applied to branding, this is

why when we see that aqua blue, you immediately know it is Tiffany’s or the bold red and white,

all you can do is think of Coca-Cola. Color is one of the best ways to make a brand memorable

and unique (Wheeler, 2011). Having a signature, color also helps the brand stretch across more

mediums, from packaging to social media (Wheeler, 2011).

As a designer, one of the challenges of color is to understand color theory enough to

know the emotions tied to each color, and each color scheme. Complementary variations, where

the selected colors are opposite of each other on the color wheel, can be very appealing because

of the contrast. However, if the hues of these colors are too close in value, the image seems to

vibrate and is rather unpleasant (Krause, 2004).

Color should also be considered from an economic standpoint. The production cost of a

full-color image is considerably more than a two-color image. If cost is an issue with the client, a

design with only two spot colors might be more appealing to them, simply because of the cost

(Krause, 2004). Even if money is not a limiting factor, branding pieces, like logos, need to be

effective when reproduced in only black and white (Airey, 2010).

2.1.1..2 Typography

Type design is not something that most of the population even notices, much less

understands. As a designer, choosing an effective typeface is a huge part of a project’s success or

failure. Type designers, and even amateurs, have flooded the Internet with new type options.

Faced with an ever increasing number of newly created fonts to choose from, designers must

understand how type works before they can make an informed decision, especially for branding

projects (Wheeler2011, 132). Considerations include, but are not limited to: serif, sans-serif, size,

weight, curves, rhythm, descenders, ascenders, capitalization, leading, line length, kerning,
tracking, numerals, symbols, legibility, readability, alignment, and emphasis (Wheeler, 2011;

Krause, 2004). If the type is being used in a logo, it will often be in combination with a graphic

image. When mixing type with images or illustrations, they should either be complementary or

contrasting, but should always have a clear sense of visual hierarchy and overall balance

(Krause, 2004).

In a brand, the type must be inherently legible and readable because it will be used for a

logo, as well as other applications. It should be recognizable, or distinct enough to be associated

with the brand, even without the logo or mark (Wheeler, 2011). The fonts created for Disney,

Yahoo, and Ferrari clearly illustrate this point, even when the colors and fonts are mixed up, it is

still easy to tell which look goes with each company.

2.1.1.3 Marks

Much like color, shapes register so quickly that someone won’t realize thinking about

them, and yet shape is the first thing identified in the sequence of visual cognition (Wheeler,

2011). According to Krause, shapes can be divided into five categories: basic geometric shapes

like squares or triangles, complex geometric shapes which often carry a specific connotation

such as a cross and Christianity, structured free-Form shapes made up of abstract lines, random

free-Form shapes which often feel organic, and literal free-form shapes like snowflakes or
letterform graphics(Krause, 2004). Especially with Complex geometric shapes, historical

significance and cultural association of shapes is very important. For example, a fylfot was once

known as a solar cross, often carved into rock. Today, that symbol is recognized as a swastika

and is associated with racism, mass murder, and communism. Incorporating a horseshoe into a

design might be a less obvious example of cultural association.

Most people associate this symbol with good luck, but for the superstitious, if it is turned upside

down, all of the good drains out and it becomes a symbol of bad fortune (Lawrence, 1898).

Marks can be even further broken down into an icons or symbols. The Basic idea behind an icon

is to replicate the look of the actual object in a direct way. With symbols, the mark still

specifically suggests a single object or idea, but it has no visual relationship to what it represents

and therefore may be only understood in a cultural context. Hall cites two good examples of

symbols, both as a concept and as a mark. The color green, for instance, has been associated with

envy, but has no concrete visual connection to the emotion. Likewise, the shape of a letter, when

used as a mark, has a specific sound associated with it, although the root of this relationship is

purely learned (Hall, 2011).

Different styles of shapes and symbols are best when used for different purposes. For example,

the Nike swoosh is very effective because it reduces well to put on watches, zipper pulls, and

tags, but it also implies force and motion.

In contrast, an abstract or symbolic mark may not be the best option for an Internet -Based client

like Google because in the digital world, color and size are not as limited.
2.1.1.4. Naming

Although designers do not always have control over the naming of a product or

organization, it is a key part of branding. If given the opportunity to make a suggestion, all

designers should know the general guidelines to naming. Danny Altman, founder and creative

director of A Hundred Monkeys, a celebrated branding studio, said, “Naming is 20% creativity

and 80% political” (Wheeler, 2011). Inspiration can be found from meanings, values, culture,

personal experiences, metaphors, sounds, science, languages, and everything else we come in

contact with during the course of our whole lives. The trademark laws, market statistics, target

market needs, and brand goals need to be researched and hundreds of options should be

presented to a testing committee. Then, names should be reviewed and tested for negative

translations, analyzed for cultural connections, and tested on sample audiences to ensure they

convey the intended message. They need to be put into contexts like voicemails, headlines, and

commercials and visually tested in business cards, billboards, and social media (Wheeler, 2011).

A good name needs to be easy to say, write, remember, and protect, connect to the product or

organization in some way, be distinctive and brief, and timeless (Neumeier, 2003).

Concept of Corporate souvenir is the set of multi-sensory elements that marketers employ to

communicate a visual statement about the brand to consumers. These multi-sensory elements

include but are not limited to company name, logo, slogan, buildings, décor, uniforms,

company’s colours and in some cases, even the physical appearance of customer facing
employees. Corporate souvenir is either weak or strong; to understand this concept, it is

beneficial to consider exactly what constitutes a strong corporate souvenir

(Businessdictionary.com, 2019). In the context of corporate souvenir, consonance is the

alignment of all touch points (Bailey, 2015). For example, Apple has strong brand consonance

because at every point at which the consumer interacts with the brand, a consistent message is

conveyed. This is seen in Apple TV advertisements, the Apple Store design, the physical

presentation of customer facing Apple employees and the actual products, such as the iPhone,

iPad and MacBook laptops. Every Apple touch point is communicating a unified message: From

the advertising of the brand to the product packaging, the message sent to consumers is 'we are

simple, sophisticated, fun and user friendly' (Marketing Minds, 2014). Brand consonance

solidifies corporate souvenir and encourages brand acceptance, on the grounds that when a

consumer is exposed to a consistent message multiple times across the entirety of a brand, the

message is easier to trust and the existence of the brand is easier to accept (Hoyer, MacInnis &

Pieters, 2012). Strong brand consonance is imperative to achieving strong corporate souvenir.

Strong consonance and in turn, strong corporate souvenir can be achieved through the

implementation and integration of integrated marketing communications (IMC). Integrated

Marketing Communications (IMC) is a collective of concepts and communications processes

that seek to establish clarity and consistency in the positioning of a brand in the mind of

consumers (Ang, 2014). As espoused by Holm (Laurie & Mortimer, 2011), at its ultimate stage,

IMC is implemented at a corporate level and consolidates all aspects of the organisation; this

initiates brand consonance which in turn inspires strong corporate souvenir. To appreciate this

idea with heavier mental weight it is important to regard the different levels of IMC integration.

The communication-based model, advanced by Duncan and Moriarty (2011) contends that there
are three levels of IMC integration; Duncan and Moriarty affirm that the lowest level of IMC

integration is level one where IMC decisions are made by marketing communication level

message sources. These sources include personal sales, advertising, sales promotion, direct

marketing, public relations, packaging and events departments. The stake holders concerned at

this stage are consumers, local communities, media and interest groups (Duncan and Moriarty,

1998). At the second stage of IMC integration Duncan and Moriarty (Laurie & Mortimer, 2011)

establish that level one integration departments still have decision making power but are now

guided by marketing level message sources.

At stage two, integration the message sources are those departments in which product mix, price

mix, marketing communication and distribution mix are settled; appropriately, stakeholders at

this stage of integration are distributors, suppliers and competition (Duncan and Moriarty, 1998).

It should also be noted that it is at this stage of integration that consumers interact with the

organisation (Duncan and Moriarty, 1998).

The last stage, Duncan and Moriarty's Communication Based Model (Laurie and Mortimer,

2011) is stage three where message sources are at the corporate level of the organisation; these

message sources include administration, manufacturing operations, marketing, finance, human

resources and legal departments. The stake holders at this level of IMC integration are

employees, investors, financial community, government and regulators (Duncan and Moriarty).

At the final stages of IMC integration, IMC decisions are made not only by corporate level

departments but also by departments classed in stages one and two. It is the inclusion of all

organisational departments by which a horizontal, non linear method of communication with

consumers is achieved. By unifying all fronts of the marketing firm, communications are

synchronized to achieve consistency, consonance and ultimately strong corporate souvenir.

The following four key brand requirements are critical for a successful corporate souvenir

strategy:

I. Differentiation: In today's highly competitive market, brands need to have a clear

differentiation or reason for being. What they represent needs to stand apart from others

in order to be noticed, make an impression, and to ultimately be preferred.

II. Relevance: Brands need to connect to what people care about out in the world. To build

demand, they need to understand and fulfill the needs and aspirations of their intended

audiences.

III. Coherence: To assure credibility with their audiences, brands must be coherent in what

they say and do. All the messages, all the marketing communications, all the brand

experiences and all of the product delivery need to hang together, add up to something

meaningful and exert unifying bond.

IV. Esteem: A brand that is differentiated, relevant and coherent is one that is valued by both

its internal and external audiences. Esteem is the reputation a brand has earned by

executing clearly on both its promised and delivered experience.

Corporate Brand Attributes Example – Brand Signature: Brand Mark (trademark), Brand

Logotype, Brandline (or Brand Slogan) and Super-graphic. Corporate Visual Identity plays a

significant role in the way an organization presents itself to both internal and external

stakeholders. In general terms, a corporate visual identity expresses the values and ambitions of

an organization, its business, and its characteristics. Four functions of corporate souvenir can be

distinguished. Three of these are aimed at external stakeholders.

First, a corporate souvenir provides an organization with visibility and "recognizability". For

virtually all profit and non-profit organisations, it is of vital importance that people know that the

organization exists and remember its name and core business at the right time.

Second, a corporate souvenir symbolizes an organization for external stakeholders, and, hence,

contributes to its image and reputation (Schultz, Hatch and Larsen, 2000). Van den Bosch, De

Jong and Elving (2005) explored possible relationships between corporate visual identity and

reputation, and concluded that corporate visual identity plays a supportive role in corporate

reputations.

Third, a corporate souvenir expresses the structure of an organization to its external stakeholders,

visualising its coherence as well as the relationships between divisions or units. Olins (1989) is

well known for his "corporate souvenir structure", which consists of three concepts: monolithic

brands for companies which have a single brand, identity in which different brands are

developed for parts of the organization or for different product lines, and an endorsed identity

with different brands which are (visually) connected to each other. Although these concepts

introduced by Olins are often presented as the corporate souvenir structure, they merely provide

an indication of the visual presentation of (parts of) the organization. It is therefore better to

describe it as a "Corporate Visual Identity Structure".

Fourth, internal function of corporate souvenir relates to employees' identification with the

organization as a whole and or the specific departments they work for (depending on the

corporate visual strategy in this respect). Identification appears to be crucial for employees and

corporate visual identity probably plays a symbolic role in creating such identification.
Special attention needs to be paid to corporate souvenir in times of organizational change. Once

a new corporate souvenir is implemented, attention to corporate souvenir related issues generally

tends to decrease. However, corporate souvenir needs to be managed on a structural basis, to be

internalized by the employees and to harmonize with future organizational developments.

Efforts to manage the corporate souvenir would result in more consistency and the corporate

visual identity management mix should include structural, cultural and strategic aspects.

Guidelines, procedures and tools can be summarized as the structural aspects of managing the

corporate souvenir.

However, as important as the structural aspects may be, they must be complemented by two

other types of aspects. Among the cultural aspects of corporate souvenir management,

socialization; that is, formal and informal learning processes turned out to influence the

consistency of a corporate souvenir. Managers are important as a role model and they can clearly

set an example. This implies that they need to be aware of the impact of their behaviour which

has an effect on how employees behave. If managers pay attention to the way they convey the

identity of their organization, including the use of a corporate souvenir, this will have a positive

effect on the attention employees give to the corporate souvenir.

Further, it seems to be important that the organization communicates the strategic aspects of the

corporate souvenir. Employees need to have knowledge of the corporate visual identity of their

organization and not only the general reasons for using the corporate souvenir, such as its role in

enhancing the visibility and recognizability of the organization, but also aspects of the story

behind the corporate souvenir. The story should explain why the design fits the organization and

what the design in all of its elements is intended to express.

2.1.2 Branding: Meaning and Purpose

A brand is a name, symbol, or logo used to identify and differentiate products in the marketplace

(Aaker, 1991 et al.). According to the American marketing association (1994) a brand is a name,

term sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them in tented to encourage prospective

customers to differentiate a producer's products from those of competitors. Murphy (1997)

defines a brand as a trademark which comes into the mind of the consumer to embrace a

particular and appending set of values and attributes, both tangible and intangible, it is therefore

much more than the product itself, it is much more than merely a label. To the consumer, it

represents a whole host of attributes and a credible guarantee of quality and origin. To the brand

over it is in effect an annuity, a guarantee of future cash flows. Murphy views branding as the

output of a commitment by management to invest in the product management. For example,

most farmers would perceive Monsanto's herbicide brand Roundup as a quality from a reliable

company, but the same chemical formulation is an unmarked drum is unlikely to gain the same

level of farmer confidence. Branding can also provide the basis for non-price competition.

Murphy (1994) views branding as the output of a "commitment by management to invest in the

development of an asset. In some parts of the world, established brands are appending as assets

on balance sheets and are being assessed for their profit earning capability. Branding can add

value to a product and is, therefore, an important aspect of product management, for example,

most farmers would perceive Monsanto's herbicide brand Roundup as a quality product from a

reliable company; but the same chemical formulation in an unmarked drum is unlikely to gain

the same level at farmer confidence. Branding can also provide the basis from non-price

competition.
Brands serve several valuable functions. At their most basic level, brands serve as markers for

the offerings of a firm. For customers, brands can simplify choice, promise a particular quality

level, reduce risk, and/or engender trust. Brands are built on the product itself the accompanying

marketing activity, and the use (or nonuse) by customers as well as others. Brands thus reflect

the complete experience that customers have with products. Brands also play an important role in

determining the effectiveness of marketing efforts such as advertising and channel placement.

Finally, brands are an asset in the financial sense. Thus, brands manifest their impact at three

primary levels-customer market, product market, and financial market. The value accrued by

these various benefits is often called ‘Brand equity’. For example, when the Indian markets were

opened to the world after the complete overhaul of the policies related to the entry of Multi

National Corporations (MNCs) most of the global brands started entering into the Indian

markets. Though, a large number of Global brands have entered Indian markets, but not all were

able to crack the mysterious, complex and a diversified market where the tastes and preferences

of customers change. The market is so complex because of the large number of cultures,

religions, diverse levels of income of the people. Moreover, a wide rural and urban divide creates

another challenge in front of companies while establishing effective distribution network. Given

the huge diversity of people and challenges related to distribution, the Global firms need to adapt

to the local market conditions in order to attract the customers towards their brands. Despite huge

potential, a number of MNCs have not been able to reach the levels of success that they have

either enjoyed in their home markets or the markets world over.

2.1.3 The meaning and functions of Graphics Design

The job of any graphic designer is to effectively communicate, through visuals, what the client

wants the target audience to know. The designer must then use his/her own experience,
education, training, and skills to create a visual. Although every designer approaches a problem

differently, three design principles are used by all designers; concept, composition, and

components (Krause, 2004). Designers need to also consider the use of color, typography,

symbolism, and production, even if it is subconsciously (Wheeler, 2011). Factors like color and

typography are very important in to the creative process, but when a designer is hired to create a

brand, the process changes. Branding can influence value, customer loyalty, return margins,

employee retainer and much more. With the average consumer being exposed to 3,500 branding

messages every day, one might think branding would be a popular topic of scholarly literature,

but in actuality, discussing branding techniques in scholarly form is a very recent development

(Post, 2005).

Branding is not only a conceptual exercise, it is also a performative and material one (Moor

2007) and much of the consumer engagement with a brand or product is via graphic design –

through packaging, point of sale, logos and copywriting, for example. The function of graphic

design, in basic terms, is to communicate by giving visual form to content, with the graphic

designer using typography, colour, image, media and format to produce a visual statement that

meets the requirements of the client’s desired message.

Barnard (2005) identifies four specific functions beyond this broad definition: information,

persuasion, decoration and magic. The information function is to impart knowledge or

intelligence. In relation to branding this could include the logo conveying the company name or

with packaging it might be a list of ingredients. The persuasive function is to convince or to

provoke a change in someone’s thinking or behavior. In the context of branding and packaging,

this would include choosing one particular product over another. The decorative or aesthetic

function relates to aspects of the design that give pleasure, and the magical function suggests that
one thing can be transformed into another, that absent things can be ‘conjured up’ (Barnard

2005). Contemporary branding is a perfect example of this magical function as the aim of the

designed elements is to reflect or ‘conjure up’ the bigger story of brand values and personality.

Buchanan (1989) suggests that in terms of audience, or in this case the consumer, the goal is to

induce ‘some belief about the past, present or future’. The use of rhetoric enables the audience to

become a ‘dynamic participant’ as the designer persuades through argument rather than

statement (Tyler 1992). This would suggest the rhetorical dimension is implicit in the magical

dimension, as it is through the interaction between audience and design that meaning is made. In

the context of this rhetorical dimension, metaphor plays a key role. Metaphors are conceptual in

nature and play a central role in our construction of reality (Lakoff and Johnson 2003). Whilst

Lakoff and Johnson primarily discuss metaphor in a linguistic context, Kress (2010) agrees that

all types of signs are effectively metaphors and are always newly made. Given this persuasive,

magical approach relies predominantly on metaphor, effectively there can be ‘no fully objective,

unconditional, or absolute truth’ (Lakoff and Johnson 2003). Rather, what is important is how we

then act on the inferences we construct (Lakoff and Johnson 2003) – in other words, whether we

believe the brand to be ‘authentic’ and follow through with a purchase. However, as with any

kind of value judgement, subjective interpretations are rarely consistent across a broad range of

consumers – one person’s idea of authentic, is another’s fake. Any ‘fake’ implicitly preserves,

and proactively utilizes, particular properties of that which is ‘authentic’ in its design (Lakoff

and Johnson 2003). A judgement as to whether something is ‘fake’ or ‘real’ is informed by a

consumer’s prior experience of similar contexts. In objective terms, something can be understood

in terms of its inherent properties (Lakoff and Johnson 2003), but is also understood through

subjective experience, which enables the categorization of something by the highlighting of

certain properties and downplaying of others (Lakoff and Johnson 2003). Therefore ‘reality’ or

‘truth’ is always relative to any understanding in a given context (Lakoff and Johnson 2003).

This understanding bypasses the binary oppositions of objective and subjective, offering an

‘experientialist account of understanding and truth’ (Lakoff and Johnson 2003), which utilizes

both reason and imagination, positioning metaphor as ‘imaginative rationality’ (Lakoff and

Johnson 2003). This experientialist process and the concept of imaginative rationality mirror the

integration of the information, persuasion and magical functions in Barnard’s (2005) conception

of graphic design.

2.1.4 Corporate Souvenir as means for Brand publicity

The history of branding is very unclear because it is an idea that can be seen in many different

forms throughout time. The branding of animals is the most widely known example. For

hundreds of years, farmers have used branding in order to mark their livestock (Clifton 2003,

p13). Farmers would burn a unique symbol on their animals so that buyers could identify a

particular farmer's product and thereby, hope to establish customer loyalty. These marks burned

into livestock are where the name “branding” actually comes from, but the concept has its origins

elsewhere. Long before that, kings and other rich and powerful people were known to choose

specific colors or create coats of arms that they stamped or painted onto their belongings in order

to mark their property (Clifton 2003). Creating a successful and appealing brand requires proper

strategy, positioning, marketing and messaging to appeal to a company’s target market.

Ultimately a brand is formed by the audience; the customers, based on not just the strategy,

positioning, marketing and logo created by an agency, but the behavior, ethics, and values of the

company as well. When a customer feels in sync with a company, it is an emotional bond, a

connection based on shared vision and values. A person's identity is defined as the totality of
one's self-construal, in which how one construes oneself in the present expresses the continuity

between how one construes oneself as one was in the past and how one construes oneself as one

aspires to be in the future"; this allows for definitions of aspects of identity, such as: "One's

ethnic identity is defined as that part of the totality of one's self-construal made up of those

dimensions that express the continuity between one's construal of past ancestry and one's future

aspirations in relation to ethnicity.

In terms of creating a corporate souvenir, the VOC was a pioneering business model in the early

modern period. The Company had its own logo, which it placed on all kinds of objects and

official documents bore the VOC monogram seal, its packaged crates of goods were branded

with the same, its property from cannons to pewter to porcelain. The Company's monogram logo

was possibly in fact the first globally recognized corporate logo.

Nearly 7,000 years ago, Transylvanian potters inscribed their personal marks on the earthenware

they created. If one potter made better pots than another, naturally, his mark held more value

than his competitors. Religions created some of the most recognized identity marks: the Christian

Cross, the Judaic Star of David and the Islamic Crescent Moon. In addition, Kings and nobles in

medieval times had clothing, armour, flags, shields, tableware, entryways and manuscript

bindings that all bore coats of arms and royal seals. The symbols depicted a lord's lineage,

aspirations, familial virtues, as well as memoirs to cavalry, infantry, and mercenaries of who they

were fighting for on the battlefields.

A trademark became a symbol of individuals' professional qualifications to perform a particular

skill by the 15th century. For example, the Rod of Asclepius on a physician's sign signified that

the doctor was a well-trained practitioner of the medical arts. Simple graphics such as the

caduceus carried so much socio-economic and political weight by the 16th century; that
government offices were established throughout Europe to register and protect the growing

collection of trademarks being used by numerous craft guilds.

The concept of visually trade-marking one's business spread widely during the Industrial

Revolution. The shift of business in favour of non-agricultural enterprise caused business, and

corporate consciousness to boom. Logo use became a mainstream part of identification and over

time, it held more power than being a simple identifier. Some logos held more value than others

and served more as assets than symbols.

A logo is a graphic element that succinctly and quickly identifies a company. It is a way to

visually represent a product, service, company, or individual in a way that’s memorable and

briefly tells their story. It may be only an icon or emblem or a logotype, word-mark, or

combination of both that present and represent the company’s name in a distinctive type

treatment along with a symbol, emblem or illustration. An effective logo is part of a successful

brand and accordingly, has been strategically created with the same positioning, tone, visual

appeal, messaging and story of the brand. Some of the elements used in logo design to

communicate this positioning, message and tone are colors, font choice, custom typography or

calligraphy, illustration style, shape and style, and historical reference, all of which come

together to communicate, for example: rich, organic and home-styled; clean, corporate, strong

and efficient; or soft, sensuous and luxurious.

Logos are now the visual identifiers of corporations. They became components of Corporate

Identities by communicating brands, unifying messages fetching feedback. The evolution of

symbols went from a way for a king to seal a letter to how businesses establish their credibility

and sell everything from financial services to hamburgers. Therefore, although the specific terms
"corporate image" and "brand identity" didn't enter business or design vocabulary until the

1940s, within twenty years of emergence and existence; they became not only key but

indispensable elements to business success. Brand consonance solidifies corporate souvenir and

encourages brand acceptance, on the grounds that when a consumer is exposed to a consistent

message multiple times across the entirety of a brand, the message is easier to trust and the

existence of the brand is easier to accept (Hoyer, MacInnis & Pieters, 2012).

Branding in real sense is not about marketing a product to be sold, but about creating a unified

identity for a group of people, products or ideas. Today, branding still involves the simple ideas

of farmers and kings, but the concepts are much more developed. Graphic Designers are hired by

organizations to create visual suites, which may include logos, business cards, letterhead,

storefront signage, product packages, advertisements, and other project-specific items. Each

piece is an important part of the image the organization wants to communicate about their

product or service to the target consumer audience. One common misconception, however, is

that brands are only comprised of the product itself. Recent studies have shown that the

intangible identity of a brand, created by a designer, accounts for on average, one-third of the

brand's total value (Clifton 2003, p2). For example, only 40% of Coca-Cola’s net worth of over

$70 billion comes from the product itself, leaving $42 billion dollars for business strategies and

visual brand identity (Neumeier, 2000).

The importance of creating a recognizable brand is often a determining factor in the success or

failure of a company. However, branding is a creative process and that makes it difficult to

identify one strategy that works for all projects. Designers are hired to create visually appealing

work, but clients also want designs that attract and maintain customers. Not all designers, even

those who create jaw-dropping art, know what market data to look at and how to incorporate
business strategy into a branding campaign. Many designers do not have the training to conduct

research, analyze markets, and develop business strategies. Often times, this results in a designer

going into the project blindly and hoping that the design is strong enough visually and the budget

is large enough to make it work. This lack of knowledge lies in the fact that there is no single

answer to the question; “What is the best way to create a brand?

2.1.5 The Role of Graphics in Branding

Branding is not only a conceptual exercise, it is also a performative and material one (Moor,

2007) and much of the consumer engagement with a brand or product is via graphic design –

through packaging, point of sale, logos and copywriting, for example.

The role of graphic design, in basic terms, is to communicate by giving visual form to content,

with the graphic designer using typography, colour, image, media and format to produce a visual

statement that meets the requirements of the client’s desired message.

Barnard (2005) identifies four specific functions beyond this broad definition: information,

persuasion, decoration and magic. The information function is to impart knowledge or

intelligence. In relation to branding this could include the logo conveying the company name or

with packaging it might be a list of ingredients. The persuasive function is to convince or to

provoke a change in someone’s thinking or behavior. In the context of branding and packaging,

this would include choosing one particular product over another. The decorative or aesthetic

function relates to aspects of the design that give pleasure, and the magical function suggests that

one thing can be transformed into another, that absent things can be ‘conjured up’ (Barnard ,

2005). Contemporary branding is a perfect example of this magical function as the aim of the

designed elements is to reflect or ‘conjure up’ the bigger story of brand values and personality. It

would seem that the rhetorical dimension is key in this transformation.

Buchanan (1989) suggests that in terms of audience, or in this case the consumer, the goal is to

induce ‘some belief about the past […], present […], or future’. The use of rhetoric enables the

audience to become a ‘dynamic participant’ as the designer persuades through argument rather

than statement (Tyler, 1992). This would suggest the rhetorical dimension is implicit in the

magical dimension, as it is through the interaction between audience and design that meaning is

made. In the context of this rhetorical dimension, metaphor plays a key role. Metaphors are

conceptual in nature and play a central role in our construction of reality (Lakoff and Johnson,

2003). Whilst Lakoff and Johnson primarily discuss metaphor in a linguistic context, Kress

(2010) agrees that all types of signs are effectively metaphors and are always newly made. Given

this persuasive, magical approach relies predominantly on metaphor, effectively there can be ‘no

fully objective, unconditional, or absolute truth’ (Lakoff and Johnson, 2003).

Rather, what is important is how we then act on the inferences we construct (Lakoff and

Johnson, 2003) – in other words, whether we believe the brand to be ‘authentic’ and follow

through with a purchase.

However, as with any kind of value judgement, subjective interpretations are rarely consistent

across a broad range of consumers – one person’s idea of authentic, is another’s fake. Any ‘fake’

implicitly preserves, and proactively utilizes, particular properties of that which is ‘authentic’ in

its design (Lakoff and Johnson, 2003). A judgement as to whether something is ‘fake’ or ‘real’ is

informed by a consumer’s prior experience of similar contexts. In objective terms, something can

be understood in terms of its inherent properties, but is also understood through subjective

experience, which enables the categorization of something by the highlighting of certain

properties and downplaying of others (Lakoff and Johnson, 2003).

Therefore ‘reality’ or ‘truth’ is always relative to any understanding in a given context. This

understanding bypasses the binary oppositions of objective and subjective, offering an

‘experientialist account of understanding and truth’, which utilizes both reason and imagination,

positioning metaphor as ‘imaginative rationality’ (Lakoff and Johnson 2003). This experientialist

process and the concept of imaginative rationality mirror the integration of the information,

persuasion and magical functions in Barnard’s (2005) conception of graphic design.

A general knowledge base of the elements, or factors, that contribute to the success of a brand is

in high demand, but low supply. The appropriate application of design factors and the lack of

research on corporate branding, make it difficult for designers to create successful branding

campaigns. The purpose of this study is to find out a means of promoting of corporate souvenir

through branding of a product with Graphics.

2.1.6 Branding Decisions and Challenges

Brand-related issues have a rich, substantial history of research within the marketing discipline.

The intentions of consumer for procuring anything depend upon the intensity of his desires to

satisfy his needs. Consumers have expectations that anything he is buying will satisfy his needs

(Kupiec and Revell, 2001).The basic purpose is to fulfill consumer's needs instead of product

name consequently consumer makes buying decision at the moment they encounter different

objects rater making prior decisions. Consumer's purchase decision depends on the way he is

communicated for anything at store. The branding becomes a major cause of the consumers

decision to buy anything because it is the first introduction of the product which communicates

the consumer that whether a product may (or may not) fulfill his requirements. The product

which appears more suitable to a customer a nearest match for his needs is bout, whereas others
are left. The key factor to convince a customer is to know his needs and to make him understand

that a particular thing is a perfect match of his requirements (Kupiec and Revell, 2001).

Marketing experts believe that success is based upon the marketing strategy which should be

used as an appropriate product positioning strategy. It has also been observed that sometimes

quite beneficial products could not get proper attentions of the customers because of wrong

market positioning strategy or weak planning (Ramsay, 1983).

As the world is rapidly turning into global village and with the passage of time business is being

expended, the importance of using correct type of packaging material/branding is the first

introduction of any product to the consumers. Packaging materials especially for edible goods

used to be wasted because of insufficient packaging materials now days, edible goods in bulk

quantities are manufactured and stored for a long time which leads to maintain timely supply as

well as reduces products cost (Gardner, 1967).

According to Duncan (2005), the challenges in branding are consistency or getting the whole

organization to understand what its brands stand for. Brands are created through a wide area of

touch points, therefore, every time a consumer interacts with the brand, perception are formed.

The challenge is that the entire organization understands, believes in, owns and communicates

the brand consistently at all tough points.

Clutter is another challenge that brand managers face. Duncan (2005) explains that by

coordinating brand communications, brand messages can become more relative and effective. It

is the brand manager's challenge to create a brand identity strategy that is creative and unique

enough to attract attention. Another challenge brand manager's face is the changing of consumer

needs and tastes over time. For example, consuming popular spirit-based mixers such as brutal

Fruit and Smirnoff spin are losing their taste for sweet fizzy drinks; perceptions that these drinks
are mostly consumed by females are some of the reasons for the reduced popularity. It then

becomes a challenge to marketers to keep track of consumer needs and how brand perceptions

change over time (Coomber, 2002).

According to Kotler and Keller (2006) the brand manager has to make several decisions. The key

decisions in this regard include:

i. To brand or not to brand?

ii. To extend the brand or not?

iii. To decide on the portfolio or not

For example, Brutal fruit applies a strategy of line extensions. Additional items in the same

product category under the same brand name are used, Brutal fruit manic Mango, Brutal Fruit

Luscious Litchi, Brutal Fruit Sultry Strawberry, Brutal Fruit Kinky Kiwi and Brutal Fruit

Ravishing Ruby as well as lavascious Lemon.

According to Kotler and Keller (2006), the brand portfolio is the set of all brands and brand lines

a particular organization offers for sale to buyers in a particular category. The organization South

African Bravery decided to use the brand name Brutal fruit which resides under the spirit cooler

category. There are many other products lines, for example, castle larger, miller Genuine Draft,

Carling Black Label and Amsteel in the beer category.

Design inspiration aside these acclaimed corporate souvenir examples serve to demonstrate the

importance that consistency plays in branding. So, if one is looking to refresh or completely

rebrand his or her corporate souvenir, it’s essential that the company considers every aspect that

falls under the umbrella of corporate souvenir.

Brand-related issues have a rich, substantial history of research within the marketing discipline.

The intentions of consumer for procuring anything depend upon the intensity of his desires to
satisfy his needs. Consumers have expectations that anything he is buying will satisfy his needs

(Kupiec and Revell, 2001).The basic purpose is to fulfill consumer's needs instead of product

name consequently consumer makes buying decision at the moment they encounter different

objects rater making prior decisions. Consumer's purchase decision depends on the way he is

communicated for anything at store. The branding becomes a major cause of the consumers

decision to buy anything because it is the first introduction of the product which communicates

the consumer that whether a product may (or may not) fulfill his requirements. The product

which appears more suitable to a customer a nearest match for his needs is bout, whereas others

are left. The key factor to convince a customer is to know his needs and to make him understand

that a particular thing is a perfect match of his requirements (Kupiec and Revell, 2001).

Marketing experts believe that success is based upon the marketing strategy which should be

used as an appropriate product positioning strategy. It has also been observed that sometimes

quite beneficial products could not get proper attentions of the customers because of wrong

market positioning strategy or weak planning (Ramsay, 1983).

As the world is rapidly turning into global village and with the passage of time business is being

expended, the importance of using correct type of packaging material/branding is the first

introduction of any product to the consumers. Packaging materials especially for edible goods

used to be wasted because of insufficient packaging materials now days, edible goods in bulk

quantities are manufactured and stored for a long time which leads to maintain timely supply as

well as reduces products cost (Gardner, 1967).

In other term, packaging/branding is where the product is secure, and where it can be identified,

where as it preserves the facilitating of the product (Giovannelti, 1995). Branding is also a source

to provide information about ingredients to the customers and instruction to use the product, for
which there are some legal requirements customers make final choice on the basis of these

information for instance there are some products inappropriate for diabetics patients because of

having high calories. Hence, instructions on packaging can save diabetic patients on contrary.

Various number of market trends suggests a growing packaging role as a brand communication

vehicle and reducing expenses on traditional brand building mass media advertising importance

of packaging role is acknowledge round the globe for brand building and consequently the

expenses on advertisement has been found reduced. Once a brand became familiar, companies

do not have to spend a huge amount on advertising because consumer will reach the brand

automatically. Companies just have to manage timely deliveries so that meanwhile a consumer

may not switch to the nearest competitors due to availability of the product (Belch and Belch,

2001). Most of the branded companies have their particular brand slogans, which influences

consumers towards their products. FMCG Manufacturers plays a vital role of comprehending

consumer response. It is also observed sometimes that failure of a product is not because of lack

in product qualities but lack of presentations (Nancarrow, Wright, and Brace, 1998).

Brands have been examined as sources of competitive advantage (Bharadwaj et al., 1993; Lassar,

Mittal, and Sharma, 1995), as sources of financial value (Rao and Ruekert, 1994), as being

company or product based (Kapferer, 1992), as being consumer-based (Keller, 1993), as a

marketing management issue (Gardner and Levy, 1955; Shocker, Srivastava, and Ruekert, 1994),

and as sources of information (Bharadwaj et al., 1993; Rao and Ruekert, 1994; Zeithaml, 1988).

Although a plethora of branding and brand equity research exists, and continues to be a

productive stream of literature, the dominant focus remains on goods-type products.

Chernatony and Segal-Horn (2001) note this absence and question the wisdom of ignoring a

sector that accounts for approximately two thirds of GDP in developed economies. Chernatony
and Segal-Horn (2001) rightfully assert that classical branding models function well at the

conceptual level for both service brands and physically tangible product brands, the execution of

branding strategy for services may warrant new branding models.

To paraphrase Berry (1980), services are different. As Shostack (1977) indicates in her seminal

piece on services, the marketing discipline has tended to focus on how physically tangible goods

move through the marketplace. Today this assessment remains substantially valid for some

aspects of marketing research, despite the continued growth and economic impact of the service

sector.

Another assertion of Shostack's (1977) is that marketers tend to apply goods-based marketing

principles to services indiscriminately, often assuming that what works for goods will work

equally well for services. While not valid for all research areas within services marketing, this

practice remains common in the area of brand studies. The shortage of services-based branding

research coupled with service practitioners' acknowledgement of the relevance of branding to

their success, would seem to indicate the need to explore this topical area more fully. The lack of

services' branding literature may be partly due to the familiarity of relating brand names and

goods, whereas with the connection between brand names and services is less intuitive and

familiar. For example, most consumers wouldn't ask "what brand of bank do you use", they

would instead ask for the name of your bank. Despite the semantic differences, service firms'

names are their brand names (Berry, 2000; Berry, Lefkowith, and Clark, 1988), and many

service organizations are beginning to treat them as such. Recent news stories suggest that some

services are already beginning to adopt branding terminology, and allowing branding research to

shape their strategies.

Research in marketing and economics has suggested that consumers use brand names as a means

of pre-determining the quality of a good (Akerlof, 1970; Bharadwaj et al., 1993; Rao and

Ruekert, 1994; Venkataraman, 1981; Wernerfelt, 1988). Shapiro (1982) observes, "When

product attributes are difficult to observe prior to purchase, consumers may plausibly use the

quality of products produced by the firm in the past as an indicator of present or future quality".

Further, if product traits were perfectly observable prior to purchase, past production of high

quality items would not become part of the consumers' evaluation of the firm's current product

quality (Shapiro, 1982). Given the nature of services, where service encounters may vary

significantly even when purchased from the same provider, a brand name and its equity may

increase the efficiency with which the consumer makes a services purchase decision by acting as

a heuristic for pre-assessing service quality prior to purchase and consumption; brand-level

associations facilitate the use of brand names as a heuristic for service quality. Consider the

following scenario. A consumer who is familiar with MCI long distance telephone service (and

positive affect toward the brand) decides his/her family needs Internet access from home. The

consumer has no or little past experience with buying Internet access and no personal

recommendations for which provider to choose, and subsequently selects MCI based on his/her

positive experience with other MCI products (long distance service). In this example the

consumer is drawing an inference about the quality of the Internet access provider based on the

brand name (and subsequent affect and perceptions) attached to it.

Turley and Moore (1995) note that some authors consider choosing a brand name for a consumer

product the most important marketing management decision. While Berry et al. (1988) recognize

"a name cannot make or break a product or company", they do go on to assert the importance of

a well-chosen name. Specifically, Berry (2000) and Berry et al. (1988) comment that for
services, the "branding effect" of a corporate or brand name is particularly important because the

company name is the brand name. As such it provides one mechanism for tangibilizing the

service firm's product offering. Because of their inherently intangible nature, it has been

suggested that branding and image creation may be particularly vital to the long-term success of

services (Bello and Holbrook, 1995; Onkvisit and Shaw, 1989; Turley and Moore, 1995). Chajet

(1991) also comments that in addition to distinguishing the product and corporation, brand

names clarify the nature of the service performed, and act as a mechanism to capture the

consumer's focus and loyalty.

2.8 About Tai-Solarin University of Education

Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), the Premier University of Education in Nigeria

and 2nd in African and 8th in the world is one of the foremost higher institutions chartered and

specializing in awarding degrees in tertiary Education. Since its establishment in 2005; it has

been excellently serving the primary purpose of its creation and unwaveringly delivering its

promises of bridging the gulf between chartered educationists and society needs. It has been

striving in significantly reducing gap between demand for education experts and supply for it.

This is why its management, lecturers and non-lecturers alike cannot afford to downgrade the

sole responsibility reposed on them. It is in the same page that all its departments are

professionally measuring to standard and rising to the occasion gallantly so as to always produce

full-baked graduates who will not only pass through the higher institution reputed as citadel of

knowledge but allow the school to pass through them. There is indeed a healthy academic rivalry

among the various departments that made up TASUED and are harmoniously complementing

one another for the accomplishment of common goal.

2.9 The Department of Creative Arts, TASUED

Among the contending departments favourably competing to actualize the lofty visions and

accomplishing laudable mission of this tertiary institution is Department of Creative Arts headed

by Dr. Idowu Olatunji, Ph. D, An Art Educator and ably supported by many capable lieutenants

and assisted by dependable hands as teaching and non-teaching staffs.

The roles of Creative Arts Department, TASUED cannot be over-emphasized as it is

facilitating aesthetics designs, bespoke ingenuity, developing modeling and promoting corporate

souvenir through branding knowledge it is imparting into its students. It is a Department that

creates and lives on graphics and illustrations and all its conceptualization are aimed at human

capital development and societal progress. This is one of the valid reasons corporate souvenir

cannot be complete without the input and huge contributions of Creative Arts Department,

TASUED. A visit to the school bears the handwork of Creative Arts Department while the

Department itself is adorned with various products of its students; thus reinforcing the topical

statement that, “Corporate souvenir can be promoted through branding of a product with

graphics”.

2.2 Theoretical Framework

2.3 Review of Past Related Study

The term, ‘Brand’ although have been used, but it reflects different features of a product. So, for

clarity, the concept of the terms will be viewed.

According to the American marketing association (1994) a brand is a name, term sign, symbol or

design, or a combination of them in tented to encourage prospective customers to differentiate a

producer's products from those of competitors.

Murphy (1997) defines a brand as a trademark which comes into the mind of the consumer to

embrace a particular and appending set of values and attributes, both tangible and intangible, it is

therefore much more than the product itself, it is much more than merely a label. To the

consumer it represents a whole host of attributes and a credible guarantee of quality and origin.

To the brand over it is in effect an annuity, a guarantee of future cash flows. Murphy views

branding as the output of a commitment by management to invest in the product management.

Branding can also provide the basis for non-price competition. Murphy (1994) views branding as

the output of a "commitment by management to invest in the development of an asset. In some

parts of the world, established brands are appending as assets on balance sheets and are being

assessed for their profit earning capability. Branding can add value to a product and is, therefore,

an important aspect of product management, for example, most farmers would perceive

Monsanto's herbicide brand Roundup as a quality product from a reliable company; but the same

chemical formulation in an unmarked drum is unlikely to gain the same level at farmer

confidence. Branding can also provide the basis from non-price competition.

The initial decision is weather to brand or not. Historically, most unprocessed product outputs

have been sold as generic products i.e. unbranded. Agricultural product for example is frequently

marketed as a commodity where within particular grade bands a product from one source is

considered identical to that from another source. This is true, for instance, of black tea and green

coffee beans. Blue Mountain Arabica from Kenya is a perfect substitute from Blue Mountain

from Colombia, and vice versa. Similarly, the same grades of B.O.P (Broken Orange Pekoe)

from Sri-lanka and from India are ready substitutes for another. Until relatively recently, most

fruits and vegetables were largely unbranded. The exceptions have been fruits and vegetables

marketed by multinational companies like united fruits and the Chiquita brand and Geest. Some
country exporters such as South Africa (Cape brand) and Israel (Jaffer and Carmel brands) broke

from tradition at early stage and adopted a strategy. Recently there has been a remarkable

increase in the interest in branding amongst exporting countries (Kotler, 1988).

Much of the existing literatures discussed how decisions are made about things like font families,

coloration, or even the creative process, very little has been published to help a designer integrate

marketing and design into an organized course of action for a branding campaign. The most

complete source of branding information comes from the few organizations known as branding.

Although there is a lack of literature on the promotion of corporate souvenir through branding

from a graphics designer’s perspective, general graphic design literature and marketing research

documentation do provide an overlap of information for design professionals. Factors such as

composition, color, typography, marks, naming, and concept development should be considered

as fundamental to the successful development of a brand.

In summary, branding, which is a form of product differentiation, allows companies to charge

higher price than they would if all products were viewed by consumer as identical.

2.4 Appraisal Of Reviewed Study

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