prabhuThere are some brand names that, no matter where you are in the world, are guaranteed to be familiar to the vast majority of people. Names like McDonald’s or Visa have a universal recognition, but what many don’t realise is how these brands impact the industries they are in. We’re going to look at some of the biggest brand power in the UK and beyond to see how far the effect goes.
Engineering
Starting with a profession that dates back hundreds of years, the engineering world was one of the first places we started seeing branding in the modern definition. Devices and machines would often have the maker’s name attached and used in advertising, and that name could often end up being synonymous with all versions of the product.
The biggest example in the UK has to be the Hoover, named for the original vacuum cleaners produced by the American Hoover Company. As it was the sole sensible option within the country for so long, a hoover became the common language for any kind of vacuum cleaner, something that continues today. The brand has effectively shaped the entire market, with competitors like Dyson having to battle against in-built brand recognition.
Entertainment
In most parts of the entertainment sphere, a brand name can be everything. In movies, the lion of MGM or the dramatic 20th Century Fox intro are instantly recognisable to even casual fans, and they’ve certainly had a wider cultural effect. In some cases, however, it doesn’t take an international media juggernaut to make a big impact.
There’s a great case in the online casino world of Megaways casino games, slot games featuring the Megaways game engine developed by Australian developer Big Time Gaming. It’s a system for randomising the number of symbols on a slot reel, and has been used in some of the most famous slot game series like Big Bass Bonanza or Mega Moolah. The Megaways brand has become one of the most popular amongst players and completely reshaped game libraries.
Internet
In terms of brands in modern technology, there are very few that have been quite as influential as Facebook. The social media giant wasn’t the first by a long way with sites like MySpace before it, but with a combination of great timing and fantastic marketing strategies, it became the face of social media as a whole.
In many ways, Facebook ended up in much the same place as Hoover, as whenever reference was made to social media in the 2000s and 2010s, Facebook was the first example people went to. It is particularly telling that even now, beyond what is seen as the heyday of Facebook as the big leader in social media, it is still the go-to for older generations and the media as the gold standard of the industry.
With so many products and services being released at such an incredible rate now, it’s tougher for any brand to become a household name. While the window is smaller, though, there’s still a chance for some new great product to be the next Hoover or Facebook and shape another industry forever.
