What ZZ Top Can Teach You About Branding

Think ZZ Top and immediately you picture a host of images from beards and furry guitars to hot rods and girls, all backed by a growling, irressistable Texas boogie.

Their brand is unique, almost timeless.

But it wasn't always so. ZZ Top always had the sound and the attitude, but the iconic image came much later.

It was the legendary and infamous Ike Turner who told the Reverend Billy F Gibbons that he needed to get his look together.

Ike's idea was velvet stretch hot pants and lace up white knee boots, which is fine when you have Tina Turner and the Ikettes gyrating wildly in front of the band.

Thankfully Billy evolved a more tasteful and elegant outlaw look for his "lil ol band from Texas."

But both Ike and Billy knew that however great their bands' were musically, they needed the final touch of a great image to really make people pay attention.

The same is true for any business. There are plenty of competitors out there all competing for the same customers you are. To get people's attention you have to stand out, as well as provide a great product.

If you do it well enough, your image will become synomous with your product.

So when developing your website or corporate identity, don't be afraid to inject a little style and showmanship into the mix. It's part of what will make you memorable.

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