Each spring, I always look forward to the first of May for two reasons: summer parties and my annual trip to Churchill Downs for The Oaks and Kentucky Derby. Every year I can count on a fun-filled weekend catching up with old friends who fly-in each year for the occasion, having the traditional mint julep and seeing women in fancy, oversized hats.

This year's trip to the racetrack was a little different, though. Yum! Brands, the official sponsor of the Derby, decided to do give one of its well-known chains a little makeover for the event. The world's largest restaurant company altered the KFC brand as a show of support for Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure. Known worldwide for its iconic red buckets of chicken, the company changed its buckets from red to pink until the end of May. Fifty cents from every bucket sold will be donated to The Race for the Cure. As of today, over $3.1 million has been raised to combat breast cancer.

While a noble cause, Yum! Brands' decision to change the look of one of its best-selling brands goes against all traditional branding standards and guidelines. Conventional wisdom says that businesses must keep their brands consistent with very little (if any) variation in order to build recognition in the marketplace. Changing your brand, even the slightest bit, could jeopardize your relationship with your customers or potentially confuse them and affect your bottom line.

Of course, there are some notable examples to this. Google is famous for changing their logo for special holidays, observances or seasons. Sometimes the change is so drastic you can't even tell it's the Google logo! Yet Google spent years becoming the mega-brand they are today, and because of their ubiquitous recognition, they can push the traditional ideas of brand identity - and have some fun.

But it's a calculated risk.

Take Lady Gaga, for example. The singer/songwriter's wacky hair colors and over-the-top costumes are what make her unique and stand out as a performer. But what if one day she donned jeans, a t-shirt and her natural brown hair. Would you recognize her walking down the street? Further, would you perceive her brand the same way you do with her current look? Most would probably rate her brand as less creative and envelope-pushing, and that makes sense. Her brand IS her crazy costuming.

The same idea is true in the corporate world. Businesses need to realize what their brand says about their product, and what significance it carries to the consumer - then decide if they can afford to take chances with their branding standards. My guess is that Yum! Brands' decision won't affect their bottom line, as they are already highly visible and iconic. But what if a local Mom and Pop shop did the same thing? Would it have the brand loyalty and ability to do something similar?