By Rachel Bernard and Emma Cofer
Having a name as a brand can be more than a tip of the hat to a famous founder. It infuses the brand with a human element, connecting consumers to a concrete symbol of the business. In many cases, it allows the company to create a spokesperson or develop a more literal personality.
But do you know when you’re meeting a real person or a marketing ploy?
Test your brand IQ with the quiz below. Please, post your guesses as comments. And come back on Friday, when we’ll give you the answers—and a lesson in corporate history.
Directions: Choose the “real” brands in the face-offs below. Sometimes, both are backed by history…but in a few cases, neither has a namesake!
Who are you wearing?
Ann Taylor or Eileen Fisher
Pass the syrup, please
Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth’s
Sweet!
Betty Crocker or Sara Lee
Revolutionary businessmen
Ethan Allen or Samuel Adams
Prep-masters
J. Crew or Abercrombie & Fitch
For the outdoorsy
Eddie Bauer or L.L. Bean
Excuse me, are you together?
Jack Spade or Kate Spade
Walk a mile
TOMS Shoes or Steve Madden
Right on the shelf
Chef Boyardee or Marie Callender’s
Hair they are!
Bumble and bumble or Paul Mitchell