Branding, Identity Design & Logo Design Explained
Have you ever wondered why some brands are instantly recognizable and memorable while others fade into the background? The key lies in effective branding, identity, and logo design. If you’re curious about what these terms mean and how they contribute to a successful brand, you’re in the right place.
In the world of competitive markets, it is important to establish a strong brand identity to gain a competitive edge and effectively engage with your target customers. Understanding branding decisions can be challenging, especially for those new to marketing and design.
This article will provide valuable insights and guidance on the concepts of branding, identity, and logo design and how they work together to create a cohesive brand image and make a business memorable. Whether you’re a business owner, a marketer, or someone interested in branding, this article clarifies these concepts.
Branding, Identity & Logo Design
A logo does not represent your brand or define your brand identity. Logo design, identity design, and branding play distinct roles in shaping the perceived image of a business or product.
There has been some recent discussion on the web about this topic, about your logo not being your brand. Although this may be true, I haven’t seen any clarification of the difference between branding, logo, and a company’s brand identity. I wish to rectify this.
What is a brand? – The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
What is identity? – The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.
What is a logo? – A logo identifies a business in its simplest form via a mark or icon.
To explain this in more detail, let’s start at the top – the brand.
What is Branding?
Branding is certainly not a light topic – whole publications & hundreds of books have been written on the subject; however, to put it in a nutshell, you could describe a ‘brand’ as an organization, service, or product with a ‘personality’ that is shaped by the perceptions of the audience. On that note, it should also be stated that a designer cannot “make” a brand – only the audience can do this. A graphic designer forms the foundation of the company’s brand image.
Many people believe a brand’s identity only consists of a few branding elements – a color scheme, fonts, a logo, a slogan, and maybe some music added. In reality, it is much more complicated than that. You might say that a brand is a ‘corporate image.’
The fundamental idea and core concept behind having a ‘corporate image’ is that everything a company does, everything it owns, and produces should reflect the core values and aims of the business as a whole.
The consistency of this core idea makes up the company, driving it, showing what it stands for, what it believes in, and why it exists. It is not purely some colors, typefaces, a logo, and a slogan.
For example, let’s look at the well-known IT company Apple. Apple, as a company, projects a humanistic corporate culture and a solid corporate ethic, one which is characterized by volunteerism, support of good causes & involvement in the community.
These values of the business are evident throughout everything they do, from their innovative products and advertising to their customer service.
Apple is an emotionally humanist brand with a strong connection with customers – when people buy or use their products or services, they feel part of the brand, like a tribe. This emotional connection creates their brand – not purely their products and a bite-sized logo.
For a more thorough understanding of successful branding, in simple terms, I recommend Wally Olin’s: The Brand Handbook, which I quote is “an essential, easy-reference guide to brilliant branding”.
What is Identity Design?
One major role in a company’s ‘brand’ or ‘corporate image’ is its visual identity.
In most cases, visual identity design is based on the visual devices used within a company, usually assembled within a set of branding guidelines. These guidelines that make up an identity usually administer how the identity is applied throughout various mediums, using approved color palettes, fonts, layouts, measurements, etc.
These guidelines ensure that the identity of the company is kept coherent, which, in turn, allows the brand, as a whole, to be recognizable to potential customers.
The visual identity or ‘image’ of a company is made up of many visual elements:
- A Logo (The symbol of the entire identity & brand)
- Stationery (Letterhead + business card + envelopes, etc.)
- Marketing Materials (Flyers, brochures, books, websites, etc.)
- Products & Product Packaging Design (Products sold and the packaging in which they come in)
- Apparel Design (Tangible elements like clothing items that employees wear)
- Signage (Interior & exterior design)
- Messages & Actions (Messages conveyed via indirect or direct modes of communication like social media posts)
- Other Communication (Audio, smell, touch, etc.)
- Any visual design assets representing the business.
All of these things make up a strong identity and should support the brand as a whole. The logo, however, is the overall corporate identity and brand all wrapped up into one identifiable mark. This mark is the avatar and symbol of the business as a whole.
What is a Logo?
To understand what a logo is, we must first understand what it is for.
A logo is for… identification.
A logo identifies a company or product using a mark, flag, symbol, or signature. A logo does not sell the company directly, nor rarely does it describe a business. Logos derive their meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolizes, not vice versa – logos are there to identify, not to explain. In a nutshell, what a logo means is more important than what it looks like.
To illustrate this concept, think of logos like people. We prefer to be called by our names – James, Dorothy, John – rather than by the confusing and forgettable description of ourselves, such as “the guy who always wears pink and has blonde hair.” Similarly, a well-designed logo should not literally describe what the business does but identify the company recognizably and memorably.
It is also important to note that only after a company logo becomes familiar does it function as intended, much like how we must learn people’s names to identify them.
An effective logo identifies a business or product in its simplest form.
Summary:
A strong brand identity is established through effective branding, identity establishment, and logo design, all of which are pivotal in crafting a memorable and easily identifiable brand.
The branding process involves shaping how a business or product is perceived by its audience, while visual identity design plays a significant role in building a loyal customer base by utilizing distinct visual elements associated with the brand.
Brand –The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
Identity – The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.
Logo – Identifies a business in its simplest form using a mark or icon.
How would you summarise brand, identity, and logo design? Comments and thoughts are welcome, as always.
Logo Design Resources:
- What makes a good logo?
- How to design a logo – 5 vital tips
- Ultimate list of logo design resources
- How to choose a logo designer
Photos by Taylorkoa22, Ronaldo F Cabuhat, Bloomberg News
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