Divergent Effects of Metaphoric Company Logos: Do They Convey What the Company Does or What I Need?

Abstract

Many corporate logos use pictorial metaphors to influence consumer attitudes. Priming concrete concepts—by means of logo exposure or other procedures—changes attitudes toward dissimilar abstract targets in metaphor-consistent ways. It is assumed, however, that observers apply a logo’s metaphor externally to interpret the company and its service. This research examined the possibility that observers may instead apply that metaphor internally to interpret their current condition and hence their need for the company’s service. We hypothesized that the same logo can have divergent effects on company liking depending on the direction of metaphor application. To test this possibility, we built on evidence that people apply available metaphors especially when they feel unsure about the target. We predicted that observers would apply a logo’s metaphor externally when unsure about the company, but internally when unsure about themselves. Three experiments provide convergent support for hypotheses. We discuss implications for research and marketing.Imagine that you walk by a new company offering “creative solutions,” and pasted on their sign is a logo depicting a bright lightbulb. This is not a lighting company, so the logo must be a metaphor. But do you interpret that metaphor to describe the nature of the company’s service or your condition? If the former, the logo signals that the company “illuminates” new solutions to your problems; hence, it addresses your needs, tempting you to inquire further. Yet if you implicitly associate the lightbulb with your internal state, you might perceive that you are sufficiently illuminated (i.e., aware of creative solutions). In this case, the company is irrelevant to your needs, and therefore less appealing.