"Florida" is as much a brand of Orange as it is an American State. American restaurants like to sell "Maine Lobster" even though they are likely to be Atlantic Canadian lobster. New Zealand has it's lamb and the Swiss have their watches. These places have successfully attached a brand to their geography. If you want the best chocolates you go to Belgium, sports cars Germany or Italy.
So this is it. The brand that will come to symbolize Newfoundland and Labrador to the whole world. Does it work? We haven't been particularly good at branding ourselves in the past. Not that we don't take well to branding. The seal hunt protesters have pinned the words "barbarian" to us quite successfully. It has no element in truth but such is the way with branding - only the perception has to be maintained. The Japanese for example have started making some great watches after the Swiss failed to monopolize on the technology of Quartz time movement. The Swiss maintain their stronghold on the quality clock industry though, in spite of the popularity of Seiko or Casio.
So how will these stylistic pitcher plants work for us. Only time will tell I guess. The branding of Newfoundland and Labrador is definately a step in the right direction. Perhaps this little graphic can do for us what a couple of young American campers did for the Canadian identity and clothing industry when they started the company ROOTS. The raw material is there. Newfoundland and Labrador is an easy sell, with its untamed beauty and friendly folk.
The fact that the flowers are a little like the Magic Mushrooms of Woodstock fame (or Super Mario Brothers for the youngsters) is really besides the point. If this simple graphic can succeed as a logo then more power to 'em.
God Speed little fly-eating bog plant - God Speed!
