Over the last fifteen or so years, Apple has steadily grown itself into one of the biggest companies in the world. With this month’s introduction of the Apple Watch that astounding growth shows no signs of slowing. Their revenue streams run into the multi-billions and they have a marketing budget that is equally substantial.
With this in mind, along with the fact that most homes (including mine) are using their products, you would like to think the exposure to their brand would make people more aware of what that ‘Apple’ logo looks like. After all, it’s now almost everywhere we go.
Well, think again.
A recent study by UCLA psychologists in California found out that after studying 85 participants, only 1 of them could correctly redraw the logo with no errors. Yet strangely when asked how they would do prior to drawing the logo all answered that they would do well. From looking at samples of the drawings most people got the general concept but all but one failed to highlight the key features of the logo; the same logo which hasn’t changed shape since 1977.
This would seem to suggest that constant exposure to brands and logos isn’t all that. Exposure naturally increases our familiarity and confidence with a product but it doesn’t have the ability to affect our memory, regardless of what we deem memorable, as we may only be able to recall a certain part of the logo or product.
Try this test to see how well you do in choosing the right Apple logo. Unbelievably, despite currently typing this article up on my iMac, and with my iPhone sat next to me, I still managed to select the wrong logo!
Blog post by David Fippard