Branding, like advertising, is such an impalpable subject that even experts sometimes disagree on the effectiveness of it. Yet, like a contestant in a beauty contest, a well-executed brand strikes you immediately when you see it. You remember it and every now and then, when presented with a myriad of products, you mumble, “I trust that brand!”

So what then is branding?

It’s a marketing exercise that helps people understand and determine what a company or a group of products stands for in the eyes of the target audience. For many people, the company Volvo stands for “Safety”. Harley-Davidson, the iconic American Motorcycle takes pride in its image of “Freedom”. The watch maker, Rolex stands for “Precision”. Honda started out as a motorcycle company and in 1962, it’s now famous campaign, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda!” has proven so effective that even mothers who will not let their children ride a motorcycle begin saying, “I’ll  buy one if it’s a Honda!”.

Phoenix Contact (SEA) was therefore extremely proud to be awarded the “Brand” award by its Headquarters in 2012 for its version of the corporate calendar. This is an annual award given to the one subsidiary out of more than 50 subsidiaries, which a panel of judges feel, executes best, Phoenix Contact’s corporate image of INSPIRING INNOVATIONS.

Our 2012 calendar took a page out of our 2006 calendar which associates the Phoenix Contact brands with iconic structures such as the Egyptian pyramid or the Sphinx. This time, we took it a step further and associate it with other iconic brands and structures closer to the end-user’s heart; brands, products and places that they see, use or hear of almost every other day. These include brands such as IKEA, the Marina Bay Sands, and the Singapore Changi Airport. Instead of just highlighting the brand or place, we included a key fact that few people know; that Phoenix Contact’s inspiring innovations are working quietly behind these icons to ensure their reliability and safety so that you can enjoy it every day!