Companies invest millions of dollars and countless man-hours in their brands. Brands are carefully researched and crafted for years. Brands evolve over time. The good ones stand the test of time; the bad ones fall by the wayside. Brands say something about the companies that own them. Brands and corporate identities are inseparable.

Often, brands involve great pride and have emotional ties to them. Witness Harley-Davidson. When I worked with Harley, I remember saying to the vice president of marketing that there were only a couple of companies that I could think of where customers paid to wear the company's logo. He responded, "Yeah, well how many people have 'Budweiser' tattooed on their arms?" Brands inspire loyalty in their customers.

Brands are value triggers. They signify quality, value and service to customers. Some brands have instant recognition because they are cultural icons as well: Purina Mills, Harley-Davidson, Apple Computer, Dallas Cowboys, NASCAR, Bud Light and so on.

With brands come logos—shorthand for the name of the company or product. And these logos are everywhere today: briefcases, vehicles, jewelry, beach towels, pens and pencils, note cubes, invoices, literature, television commercials, Web sites, and, of course, the ubiquitous logo wear. In today's fashion parade of corporate attire, logo wear dominates the scene. Polo shirts, dress shirts, blouses, sweaters, wind shirts and the rest are a big part the new white-collar corporate uniform.

Here's the catch: when you wear your logo for others to see, they see everything around that logo, including your behavior. Marketing is every way you communicate with your customers; it's more than a department or brochure, a trade show or an ad in a trade journal. It's how your people answer your phones, drive company vehicles, pack products in a logo box, and yes, wear logo wear. Your company could spend millions of dollars promoting an image in the market, but the way someone in your company answers the phone speaks volumes about your image.

One company I worked with recognized this reality and decided that no employee would be allowed to wear logo items off the job. They did not want an employee getting into an altercation at a grocery store and having other people see their corporate identity associated with it.

There is a construction company in St. Louis that I hope I have the opportunity to turn down some day because of what I saw one of their drivers do in traffic one day. His rude and dangerous behavior was out there for everyone to see, along with the company name. Unfair to the company? Maybe. But I don't care; it's what I know about them.

Do your wear your brand with pride? When you make a sales call, is your preparation and knowledge commensurate with your company image? Do you represent your brand well? Make it your personal mission to become a walking billboard for your company and brand. But be sure that the message you're sending is the one you want the world to see and hear. Take pride in your company and your brand.