Branding is taking a stand

In my classes I teach that one way we are assertive, known as a soft assertion, is to wear a t-shirt with a slogan on it like "Save the Whales." People see that and react without requiring anything of the wearer.

When a company names itself, it is taking a stand as well. Today on the way to work I passed an advertising sign in a yard that said:

"Yellow Ribbon Expert Tree Removal."

I had fun amusing myself with what that sign asserted by implication:

• We remove trees but feel really bad about it and wish so much that we could bring them back quickly

• We remove trees and feel so wistful about their being gone that we have a reforestation program
  
  
• We remove the trees in Atlanta with yellow ribbons on them because we are FOR the war in Iraq
  

• We aren't blue ribbon, aren't red ribbon, but if you want a third rate tree removal company, call us - the yellow ribbon group

• We are a patriotic, George Bush supporting tree removal company (and of course, don't call us, if you are negative about the war)

Obviously I'm responding tongue in cheek but since so many possibly negative or biased interpretations are possible, they probably needed some consultation before choosing that brand as their name!