comte de Rochambeau, c. 1782

The British red coat (which gave the British soldiers the soubriquet of lobsterback) had been instituted in 1660 and was not to leave the battlefield until 1882. It was the national corporate logo, and arrayed beneath it were subordinate brands — the regiments with their facing colors (the contrast color of the lapel and cuff), connected to the mother brand but differentiated.