One of the most fascinating ways to study brand equity is to study the deviants–the “dark side” of branding. For anyone who thinks that a brand doesn’t have power, look no further than the Mongols, an outlawed US motorcycle gang.

The Mongols took the extraordinary step of securing a trademark for their logo. The brandmark is synonymous with trouble, so much so that the US Department of Justice successfully petitioned for, and was granted, control of the trademarked logo. As a result, the government has the right to seize possession of any item bearing the gang’s logo. The landmark case is causing a first amendment fire storm, but I think branding is the really interesting part of the story. First, you have an example of a government taking control of trademark rights and using those rights to enforce the law. Second, you have a great case of a legendary brand — a mark that is associated with a belief system that drives a narrative and a culture. It is a great example of a brand as the centerpiece of a narrative and social conflict. The brand can literally get you arrested–or at least detained.

Apple is the darling of brand managers. At least once a week I hear a client ask me how their brand can be more like Apple. I’ve written about the company’s brand narrative extensively. Indeed, Apple is linked to a compelling story that rests in the minds of its faithful consumers. It is a story of empowerment and creativity — of the iconoclast leading the masses to freedom through enablement. The landmark 1984 spot for the launch of Macintosh epitomized this narrative.

Sadly, Apple has begun to turn its back on the roots of its mythology. Consumers and business partners are starting to view the company as a control freak. From its rigid design aesthetic to its business practices, a different side of Apple’s character is emerging. And if the company is not careful, the brand can sink into Act III of the empowerment narrative — the part of the story where the revolutionary spirit turns on itself (a la Citizen Kane).

The latest example of this story development is detailed in this blog post about Apple’s latest patent application, in which is states a purpose of thwarting users from using contraband garments to activate their iPod pedometers.

The (maybe not so) latent nerd in me still gets fired up about NASA and the space program. These photos of a recent Discovery launch are a great insider’s look at how the orbiter is assembled, prepped and launched.

I’m fascinated by the NASA brand. It has such a rich narrative legacy, and yet in recent years, it seems to have lost some of its luster. The agency is still as vibrant and exciting as it was 20 years ago, but the brand system is falling apart. It’s time for some branding.