Why the Bison: Primitive’s Branding Story

Few things are more disingenuous than someone who professes to be an “expert,” but never practices the expertise he or she shares. What’s the point of following a chef who doesn’t keep a sharp knife, a fitness guru who never breaks a sweat, or a business leader who never spends any time with their team? We are all far more likely to trust someone who has first tested their own advice through real life experience. 

This is why every single thing we’ve shared about branding was written after we had evaluated our company and gone through a rebrand of our own. If you’re new to this space, you might not realize it, but we recently experienced a complete rehaul of our website and site map, fonts and colors, and even a slight change in our name. This rebrand also came with a new logo, and we thought we’d share a little about why on earth a digital company would choose a bison to represent their brand. 

Bison, or Buffalo?

Before we explain why we chose this amazing mammal to grace our logo, let’s clear up the whole bison vs buffalo debate. While you can use these interchangeably and most people will know exactly what you mean, technically the term buffalo refers to a large mammal that lives in Africa and Asia (think cape buffalo or Africa’s infamous water buffalo). Theories abound that this name comes from the French word for beef, “boeuf,” but then that leaves us all to wonder why we don’t refer to cattle as buffalo. 

Bison, on the other hand, are native to North America and parts of Europe and have larger heads and shoulders than their bovine counterparts. While they do roam on the range, you won’t hear us saying many discouraging words about their counterparts. 

So Why a Bison?

So what on earth do these incredible creatures have to do with creating digital solutions? So glad you asked. Here are just a few of the reasons that we decided a bison would be the perfect fit for our logo.

1. Just like us, bison are native to the Great Plains region. It is an absolute honor to work with team members and clients all across the country. The accessibility of digital work has led to some incredible relationships for our company. We are grateful for this, but we’re also really proud to call West Texas home. 
2. They’re resilient and adaptable. Bison are strong enough to withstand harsh elements like snow, heat, and wind, but are also adaptable enough to make a comeback after being almost completely annihilated in the late 1800s. Few qualities are more necessary to business success than being both resilient and adaptable. 
3. Bison benefit their environment. All animals have characteristics that serve the world around them: some help pollinate, others eliminate waste, and still others get rid of pests that annoy the rest of us. But bison seemed to be uniquely designed to benefit their environment: they are notorious for being mowers rather than plowers when grazing (which means the eat the top half of grass, but leave the rest to grow back instead of uprooting the entire blade); their hide is a magnet for seeds that need to be transplanted in order to pollinate and grow (and also makes a fantastic addition to any bird nest); the wallows formed from their rolling absorb water during rains and provide small watering holes for animals and plant life throughout the plains. They’re just as likely to give as they are to take from their world, and that kind of generosity is worth replicating in the business world. 
4. Bison run into the storm. While some animals run away from a storm, bison plow into it. They understand intrinsically that the best way through is to just face the storm head on. We’ve experienced the same to be true in our work. Everything changes when you choose to face the storm head on rather than hide from it. 

And there you have it. A short and sweet synopsis on what we believe to be the world’s best bovine, and why we’ve chosen the bison for our logo. 

We don’t, however, only talk about our favorite animals. Each week, we share insights, tips, and helpful information about digital marketing, branding, software development, and more. Subscribe below to stay up to date on all things digital.