Part I: Theoretical considerations. Introduction: thinking about brands -- What is a brand? a semiotic analysis -- Brands and the psyche -- Brands in society, society in brands -- Marketing brands -- Brands in history, history in brands -- Language and brands -- Visual branding: logos, icons and images -- Part II: Applications. The branded self -- San Francisco as a brand -- Japan as a brand -- Brand competition: cruises -- Brand sacrality -- Brand discourse -- Brand and myth -- Coda.