When you’re in business, branding is a big part of creating a consistent image to help your operation’s exposure.

Marketing that brand means having a clear vision of the steps needed to be taken daily to build on your image. So the public sees, senses, is aware of your brand that you build to stay in business.

If a company has a fleet of vehicles, the color of the paint is the same on each of them.

1950's Classic Cars, The Heatwave, Ford Crown Victoria Was One Of Them.
Looking For A Drive In, A Car Hop, 1956 Ford Crown Victoria Classic Car
Like all Maine state police cruisers used to be one color blue. You see them in a lot of Stephen King movies based in Maine. Distinctive shade so the public knew oh look, there is a trooper, officer if you needed help. Until someone dreamed up the idea of unmarked patrol cars. They won’t hurt you unless you are breaking the law though right?

Glen Holmes is my oldest brother Stephen’s age, ten years my senior. Graduating around the class of 1964 from Houlton High School. His Dad worked for Donald Guy who had a excavating company with a fleet of vehicles painted red. Cement mixers for Redi-Mix that were red, GMC dump trucks the same color. His slogan on his vehicles, business letterhead and billing paperwork reminded all “We Move The Earth”.

Which promptly stopped when piloting a private plane that went in to a mountain side in bad weather down around the Old Town area if memory serves me right. I was a little kid when all this was happening but remember hearing about it all. And yesterday, while sitting down with Randy Holmes at the Shamrock Cafe for a fresh Camden sandwich, found out his friend Glen’s Dad worked for Donald Guy at the Steelstone operation.

And Glen thought it was neat to have all your “toys” or vehicles painted one color.

To showcase the collection and without a doubt know who owns those construction rigs.

So everything Glen touched did not turn to gold but a shade of green when he started his collection. New outboard motors, snowsleds painted Glen Holmes green. Sporting camp boats, accessory items all got dips in the color that appears a lot in nature. But a particular shade of green.

Unique, distinct and part of the branding, the trademark, the look. Helped with security too so nothing “walked off” and no one would have to wonder who the rightful owner was. No matter the adage of possession being nine/tenths of the law… it was Glen Holmes’s if the right shade of green, period. Like a tattoo branding iron burning the rear end of a cow herd “trademark” obvious.

Oh and what about that “Heatwave”, the 1956 Crown Victoria Ford two door classic car?

My brother Stephen told me Glen was a whiz in shop /automotive class and owned the local legend. That it has five tachometers…in various places around the car to make sure it was operating at tip top efficiency. And maybe to impress a tad in the exchange.

Was the “Heatwave” painted Glen Holmes green? If this was fiction it would have been. But no, I think it was black originally, many shades ago. Or at least when I was about twelve and saw it parked at the farm and then owned by my cousin Randy Mooers it was red, tired but small Maine town famous.

Funny how a local car legend, a coloring marketing or security scheme was going on around me in a small Maine town while growing up. And the buzz about it got picked up, absorbed in my memory banks and enhanced with my conversation over lunch. I’ll check my facts with Glen and tell you about Randy Thompson being the first lease in the Bangor Mall with his leather business, Randy’s Leather in an upcoming MeInMaine blog post.

I love living in a small Maine town. The events, happenings might bore some, but the connection, closeness, bond that all in those towns have is special, unique and friendly. If you live in one you catch my drift. If you don’t but want to, I know a little red hen Maine real estate broker who can help you make it happen. Maine, get here quick as you can.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com