THESE days companies spend millions of pounds establishing corporate identities and 'branding' themselves.

A whole industry exists to study individual businesses, come up with logos which give them an immediately identifiable image and then market those images so that they are known to the public who will become customers.

Thus the simple tick logo of sports firm Nike or the golden Ms of that fast food giant are recognised instantly around the world from an African village to a South American jungle settlement.

For some companies a rebranding exercise can take time.

How long will it be, for example, before the British public really get used to referring not to the Royal Mail but to Consignia?

With such a well established image it came as a surprise to hear that Lancashire County Council were reviewing the red rose - the county's 'logo' since the 13th century - but no surprise that Hyndburn MP Greg Pope thought any move to replace it would be 'bonkers.'

Of course any efficient organisation should be constantly reviewing what it does and why it does it and nothing should be sacred - even an emblem with an 800 year history.

Change shouldn't be made merely for the sake of it. Especially when it will cost large sums of public money to repaint vehicles and reprint badges, stationery, posters and signs on buildings.

Commonsense should be the key and it's pleasing to hear county council leader Hazel Harding say: "I can never imagine us using anything other than the Red Rose and our consultation so far has indicated this."

Our rose is a fantastic marketing tool for promoting tourism and business.

Modernise its design by all means but scrap it? That, as Greg Pope said, would be quite 'bonkers.'