The Jolly Roger worked because it was simple, repeatable, and frightening. That is branding, even if nobody involved would have used the word. A skull and bones could travel farther than a voice, and it carried a message people already understood: this ship is not here for polite trade.
There was no single universal pirate flag. Some crews had their own symbols, and some famous designs became attached to particular names through history, legend, or later storytelling. What mattered was recognition. A flag had to be seen, understood, and believed.
Modern pirate flags borrow that power without the danger. They are bold decorations because they still do what symbols do best. They compress a story into a shape. Hang one in a room and the room suddenly has a genre.
That is why the Jolly Roger survives on flags, shirts, hoodies, toys, and costumes. It is not just a skull. It is a tiny poster for rebellion, adventure, and a suspiciously good time.