Branding Tip: Use an Ampersand!

Do you like grammar? If yes, then you already know today's significance. If not, allow me to enlighten you: Today is National Ampersand Day. If you need a refresher, an ampersand is that recognizable symbol that stands in for the word AND. 

When creating a memorable business or nonprofit name, there are many considerations and influences, but if you want to join two names or words, what can you do? An ampersand is the solution.

According to Wikipedia, "The ampersand is a logogram representing the word AND (a conjunction). It originated as a ligature of the letters ET, Latin for AND...In written language, a logogram is a written character that represents a word or phrase."

Curious as to where the ampersand originated? According to Dictionary.com, "The symbol "&" was actually part of the English alphabet. In the early 1800's, school children reciting their ABC's concluded the alphabet with the &. It would have been confusing to say X, Y, Z, and. Rather, the students said, "and per se and." Per se means "by itself," so the students were essentially saying, X, Y, Z, and by itself and. Over time, "and per se and" was slurred together into the word we use today: ampersand."

According to Nicte Cuevas, Principal of Nicte Creative Design, "Each brand featuring an ampersand in its logo has a unique approach. Some use the same font as the brand name (logotype), while others use a completely different font for the ampersand. The style for these depends on the emphasis that the brand wants to create with the ampersand. Using an ampersand can provide added benefits, aside from aesthetics. If a brand name is slightly long, using an ampersand will help shorten the length of the logotype. This means you don't sacrifice legibility for size, especially for web and digital media."

How many brands featuring ampersands immediately come to mind? Here's a list to get you started:

• A&W Root Beer

• AT&T

• Barnes & Noble Booksellers

• Ben & Jerry’s

• H&R Block

• M&M'S

• Tiffany & Co.

• Victoria & Albert Museum

While there are countless ways for a brand to stand out, the ampersand is a unique brand identifier. It's so much more than a space saver. In fact, it just may get your brand noticed!

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Image Credits: AT&T, Ben & Jerry's, Tiffany & Co., and Barnes & Noble.