Regular readers of Touchpoint will remember our April Fool edition "Government bans logos". It seems a copy may have found its way into official hands – now we hear that they are seriously contemplating banning logos on cigarette packs.

Branding works, and in an attempt to reduce sales, it follows that removing branding will have the opposite effect. It's an unusual situation, but a great way to test the theory. They say there's no smoke without fire – perhaps it should be there's no smoking without branding?

What would be the effect on our own businesses of removing branding? Disastrous? If your answer is "no", could it be that you're not taking full advantage of branding in the first place? Tobacco companies have spent years perfecting their brands. Okay, a brand is not a logo™. But in a world where smoking is the main cause of preventable death, it's likely that the brands are the only thing counterbalancing this. That's a pretty powerful force. Imagine the effect of that force without a matching restraining one! It's surely something worth harnessing in any business.

Are there other things that we should remove branding from in an attempt to make the world a better place? Do send us your thoughts!

Nigel Penn-Simkins 0118 951 9450
Arthur op den Brouw 0118 951 9460