The latest TV ad for Prudential Financial shows the design evolution of the company’s Rock of Gibraltar logo. This is intended to be symbolic of The Prudential’s promise of long term financial stability. It appears that the company has weathered the industry’s financial meltdown fairly well, and can now take advantage of this enviable position. This is an opportune time to remind people to "Get a piece of the rock."

In the 1990s, Siegel+Gale redesigned the company's logo. The depiction of the rock changed many times over the last century. Before our assignment, the rock morphed into shapes that looked more like a bar code than the actual promontory. We balanced the design to be more in keeping with the strength and heritage that it was intended to represent. Below is the logo being used today.

Sometimes a logo is a mark that merely visualizes the name of the company. The Apple logo is a memorable logo, but really doesn't say much about what the company stands for (unless you consider computer bytes significant). But at other times, a logo can be so strong and iconic that it becomes synonymous with the positioning.

In financial services, there are a number of logos that reinforce a company's positioning. For example, Merrill Lynch is bullish, Travelers provides shelter from risk, and The Principal Financial Group provides an edge in life.

Yet logos that are this specific can cut both ways. Does The Prudential's rock imply that the company is sedentary? Does Merrill's bull imply that the company has an overly aggressive investment philosophy in bear markets?

Like logos, some corporate names also are somewhat synonymous with the company’s brand promise. Yet, it's surprising how few of these types of names can be found in the Fortune 500.

There are some. For example, Manpower implies that the company is "a leader in workforce solutions." Whole Foods promises "the highest quality natural & organic products." PetSmart "loves to see healthy, happy pets." And Broadcom "connects everything."

Again, the risk is that if a name is too specific, it might not take a company into the future. We need only to look at American Telephone & Telegraph and International Business Machines to see how easy it is for a company to outgrow its name and promise.

Nevertheless, there is something very powerful about a logo or name so iconic that it actually tells a story about a company at a glance.

Jeff Lapatine is the group director, naming and brand architecture, for the Siegel+Gale New York office.