The Branding of Breaking Bad’s Heisenberg
When walter white becomes Heisenberg, he is not just impersonating a drug dealer (or maker), he actually turns into a different person completely, and even though that doesn’t happen overnight, he does a good job at branding himself as a ruthless, violent, yet brilliantly intelligent criminal.
In this article I wanted to show how the branding of Heisenberg goes and what Vince Gilligan’s beloved character can teach us about the art of differentiation, so without further due, let’s take a look at it.
Now, say my name
Let’s begin with the name “Heisenberg”, chosen by Walter to brand himself in the under world of crime. This is actually a brillant move, not just because it hides his true identity from potential harmful criminals, but also because it is memorable in this context, and it says a lot about his personality since he is a scientist and Heisenberg was taken from Werner Heisenberg, the german physicist who developed quantic mechanics. It sounds unique, and shows that he is intelligent, precise, differently from other street names that we see in the Breaking Bad universe, like Nacho, Crazy Eight, Skinny Pete, Tuco, Lalo, and many others.
Heisenberg’s famous Blue Meth
The second item in the list is the blue meth. Yes, BLUE meth, as in a meth that is concieved to be a different color from other meths. Do you see how it almost sounds like a genuine product that is sold at any Wal-Mart store?
The product is made to stand out, and it does not just because it is purer than any other, but also because the color makes it memorable and identifiable. If it sounds familiar, think of the shape of coca-cola bottles, they serve the same purpose, only for a slightly less deadly brand.
Heisenberg’s Visual Identity
Another curious thing that is embedded into the branding of Heisenberg is the way he looks. You don’t see drug dealers in flat beiges, dark jackets and hat, with glasses and a 50 year old dad mustache. It is just so remarkable and different that the rumor gets around.
At some point in the show we see mexican drug cartel members use a drawing of Heisenberg to identify and locate walter white. If his face is his logo, the audience proved to be able to easily draw it from memory. Let that be a lesson about logo design.
In Conclusion
The character created by Vince Gilligan is so remarkable in many ways that we could spend hours and hours talking about how he stands out doing his own thing. But I think those examples are enough for us to learn about the art of differentiation and it’s powers.
One last thing that I would like to point out is this: Walter had a story of his own, a motive to do what he was doing, and the taste for it. He admits in the series finale that everything he did, he did for himself, he liked it and was good at it, even if “it” means murdering people, exploding nursing homes and poisoning little kids. He died doing what he loved, and he was good at it because he loved it.
What is one thing that you love and are good at? Let me know in the comments.
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