• Fast Company, Thursday, October 15, 2009 10:43 AM

Joe Duffy, meanwhile, says that the Apple's venerable "Think Different" spot -- "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes ..." -- created by Chiat/Day for Apple is perhaps the best example of brand positioning he has come across and is an exemplar of a brand that has created its own language.

The principal and chairman of Duffy & Partners says that while he has always had trouble learning foreign languages, he's very good at making up new languages for brands (if he does say so himself). And that's what makes them special and connects them in "a very meaningful way" to their audience.

"The basic elements of a brand's visual language -- type, color, photographic/illustration style and layout also establish a filter for making decisions on how to best 'speak' from the heart," Duffy blogs. "If all the basics are in sync, it will make choices like story, set design, talent, wardrobe, physical space, dialog and tone of voice easy to make."

Read the whole story at Fast Company »