What’s the difference between a logo, identity and branding?
So you have an amazing business idea right? And you know you’ve got what it takes to make this happen. In fact, you might already be doing it and seeing the results of putting your business out there. Now you’re ready for that perfect, beautiful professional brand that people will come to recognize in an instant, right!?
Well that brand is more than just a logo.
I know, it’s easy to get it confused! That’s why I’m here to help. I’ve worked with so many amazing individuals on their creative projects: start-ups, first-time business owners, established businesses and everything in between. What' I’ve come to realize is the jargon is sometimes unclear and the purpose of each asset isn’t always realized so here is the 411:
A logo
A lot of people confuse this with a brand. It’s really only one part of the brand. It can have a HUGE impact as it can act like the face of a brand and is often the first thing people see about your business. So it is important to get it right in order to begin talking most effectively to your audience the way you want to.
Ultimately, a logo is a visual marker designed to identify your business. This can be a word mark; a text only logo like Coca-Cola or a visual and word mark like Nike and their “swoosh” symbol.
A logo can begin to communicate values, mood, sentiments (i.e. formal or friendly) through shape and color. Think about what the color red means to you vs the color blue. Are they different? Do you have a favourite mug you drink your coffee or tea from? Why is it your favourite? Is it tall or short? Does the handle feel good in your hand? See shape (or form in design terms), matters and is influential!
An Identity
Wait, what? Businesses have identities? HECK YAH!
Everything has a personality. When something is not obviously living, you may have heard us visual folk say it has a certain “quality” about it. That’s the same as a personality. Why do we choose a patterned button-up shirt over a solid colored one? Because each has a different personality that attracts us. Well…businesses are similar.
An identity are the visual elements that embody your brand’s essence and help you stand out.
If you’re an organic skincare business and you choose green as your primary business color but so does your competitor, what set’s you apart? It’s the identity: the typeface used, how you use that type, pattern’s, textures, photographic styles in advertising your products, etc.
An identity goes a long way. It’s something you build upon and help’s provide more clarity in terms of HOW you speak to your audience. Because not only can you have a pattern, but that pattern can have a mood - is it fun and quirky or classic and feminine?
A brand
Is not tangible yet alive.
Let’s look at Nike’s brand…what is their brand? Is it their logo? Is it their patterns or colors or typeface used…hmmm..they don’t have patterns and wait, aside from black and white do they have a color palette? Or could it have something to do with their tag line: “Just do it”?
That phrase communicates an experience that triggers something in our minds and hearts that tells us if we want to be apart of it. And on further inspection, what is Nike all about? Innovation: to do and be better; empowering athletes (not just the pro’s) and as a bonus they indirectly promote healthy living (and looking great while living it). They’re performance wear and overtime, I’d say they’ve also become everyday wear (and they design for both now by the way).
So what is a brand?
It’s the overall perception of your business and the emotional relationship with your audience–how well you form a connection with them. It’s having a clear purpose and mission and values and being able to consistently communicate that in a way your audience get’s. A brand is a tool to form connection, an invitation to participate in what impact your business is having on the world. And you know what?
It’s what builds community.
This might give you an idea of why strategy in branding is important. Stay tuned for my post on this!
