How Marlboro put their logo on a Ferrari F1 car for four seasons after tobacco advertising was banned, why the trick worked, and how what it means for your brand.

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For most of F1's history, tobacco money ran the paddock. Philip Morris put Marlboro on track in 1972, moved in with Ferrari in 1984, and became the team's title sponsor in 1997. At that time, the duo was unstoppable: six straight constructors' titles from 1999 to 2004, five straight drivers' titles for Michael Schumacher, and all of it was wrapped in that sexy red, white, and black.

But right at the height of Ferrari's streak, the EU's tobacco advertising directive took effect and the FIA's own tobacco deadline hit at the end of 2006. Marlboro's name had to come off the car.

The 2007 Ferrari showed up with a brand new livery. There were no Marlboro logos. Instead the car was patterned with white stripes, almost reminiscent of a barcode.

After only a couple of races, fans started to notice something: when the Ferrari whipped by the stands at 200mph, that barcode looks suspiciously like a pack of Marlboros. Of course, Ferrari's team principal denied the allegations as ridiculous. Eventually activists got them to cave, but not before Ferrari and Marlboro raced for four more seasons. 

How was Marlboro able to represent their brand so well without a logo?

If your brand only exists in the logo, you don't have a brand.

Here's what actually happened on that car.

Identity. Marlboro had been an American icon for over 80 years. Their iconic red, white, and black color combo had only become so recognizable because they comitted to a strong visual presence for decades. In return, they had a brand almost everyone recognized. 

Strong Association. After 23 years of Marlboro on a red Ferrari, fans couldn't see one without the other. By leaning on the brand's association with Ferrari, Marlboro could generate demand even without the logo.

Subliminal Advertising. Marlboro was able to leverage unrelated shapes to make people think of their brand. the white barcode alone may not be enough to make someone think Marlboro but in the context of the red Ferrari racing around the track, a white barcode is all that is needed for fans to imagine the logo.

1. They think the logo alone is the brand.

A logo is just shorthand for all the associations that make up a brand. It rarely means anything on its own.

2. They think brand is bought, not earned

Brand is what you have when you spend years earning the trust and goodwill of your customers. A fresh logo and ethos deck doesn't change that.

3. They change strategies often

New agency, new director, new palette, new tone. Ferrari has been red since before Marlboro showed up and is still red today. There's a reason nobody at Maranello pitches teal.

Marlboro and Ferrari are proof that brand exists beyond the name and logo. Our job as marketers is to develop what that looks like.