A key component of marketing and promoting a product is the development of a marketing strategy, based on the history, culture, and community associated with a brand. But, how should these items be structured when a brand is new, in development, or is being refreshed?
Customer Focus
The Sampson Data-Pattern Index (DPI) is a revolutionary computer technology that uses an original, internationally patented data structure devised by Wes Sampson, CPA and PhD. Dr. Sampson developed the Index to assist the U.S. Department of Defense with the tracking of certain security risks. The DPI facilitates product mix, OLAP, bookkeeping, inventory updates, and scheduling. New areas of operating-system reporting, such as reports of program stack content and tracking of objects, are also made easier.
As a marketing consultant for the Data-Pattern Index, I met with Dr. Sampson to plan the marketing materials needed to support the DPI. In order to build on the success Dr. Sampson was experiencing with the patent, funding, and development stages of the technology, we knew that a logo befitting the brand and invoking the strength represented by this “quantum leap” in innovation would be required.
As part of our creating a logo and theme for the marketing materials, our team also worked in tandem with Dr. Sampson to envision, rewrite, update, and produce materials for use with the funding stages of the Sampson Data-Pattern Index. This included the formats required by funding and enterprise development groups. We also assisted Dr. Sampson with the search for compatible technology and sales partners, as well as the selection of software development and allied firms for the Sampson DPI.
This search included relationship-development with technology firms in Silicon Valley, in addition to the Northwest, Boston area, and international markets, leading to lucrative sales contracts. The theme of a powerful logo, however, continued to prove elusive. Atomic structures, circuit-board layouts, and a number of different styles were explored. Popular at the time were “swoosh” and “semicircle” logo icons and logotype. None seemed to fit.
The Breakthrough
During one of our many meetings about the marketing strategy for the Sampson Data-Pattern Index, where we were discussing future events and how to showcase capabilities in an upcoming venture-capital group event, we finally had a breakthrough: Since Sampson was the name of the client, why not represent his intellectual strengths and expertise through a logo that made use of his name? The Greek god Sampson was associated with these positives, among others.
While variations of the name Heracles, Hercules, Samson, and Sampson all survived in historical and in Israelitic biblical texts, the name Sampson alone would immediately convey the strength of the Data-Pattern Index. What luck! The client, who initially demurred on the basis of humility, realized that this simple connection was a solid one, and the logo was constructed shortly thereafter, to great reception.
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