Your brand is NOT just your logo. Your logo is simply one tiny piece of the brand puzzle. Imagine if you tried to jam everything you did into your logo? Mine would be a hot mess filled with a computer, coffee, blue light glasses, strawberries & more, OH MY.
Brand vs logo, what's the difference?
One of the most common questions I hear from people is, “What’s the difference between a brand and a logo?”. While we could get into a whole conversation about it, here are some key things to keep in mind:
Branding is the process of creating a brand by establishing a consistent identity in everything you do, from naming to messaging to visual design. Logo design is one component of branding; it's not branding itself. In its most basic form, your logo is the visual representation of your company.
But a logo alone won't build your brand in the long run; you need more than that! Your brand can be made up of many other visual brand-identifying components that you can use to communicate your essence – including your colours, images, additional design elements like patterns & icons, text, and layout.
What makes an effective brand?
An effective brand is one that can be differentiated from its competitors, and it’s the result of a deep understanding of your ideal client and their needs.
It’s important that you understand the difference between branding, marketing, and communications. Branding is about creating a consistent message across all channels; marketing is about communicating those messages; communications are simply the tools you use to get the message across – such as advertising, email campaigns, or social media activity.
The elements that make up an effective brand are:
● Brand identity - how people see your company (including logo);
● Brand personality - how people would describe your business in words;
● Brand experience - what customers feel when they visit your website or interact with an employee;
● Brand image - what customers think about when they hear about your brand;
● Brand positioning – why should customers choose you over others in similar markets? Why should customers choose another similar product over yours? How do you differentiate yourself from competitors?
So, what makes a good logo?
I believe the simpler the logo, the more clear and concise your brand will be. Keep in mind that your logo is not your WHOLE visual brand.
In order for your logo to be effective, I aim to meet the below criteria:
● Memorable: Your logo should be easily recognizable. It should also have an element of surprise and delight that makes people want to take a second look.
● Simple: The more complicated your design is, the less likely it will be able to scale across all platforms.
● Easy-to-read: If your name or slogan can't be read at small sizes by someone with poor eyesight or an old monitor, then you lose customers who might otherwise buy from you! People want things they can understand easily whenever possible; don't make them work hard when they don't have to!
● Easy-to-reproduce: A good logo can be reproduced on any surface imaginable without losing its integrity—whether it's printed on paper or silk fabric or carved into stone tablets in ancient Egypt (now there's an idea...). And remember—the easier something like this is, the cheaper it'll cost!
What came first? The brand or the logo?
The brand! Even if you're a designer, this is something you need to remember.
The first thing we do when I'm designing for a client is sit down and talk about how they want to be seen by their ideal clients. I ask what kind of message they want to convey and what tone of voice will resonate with their target audience.
Then, we discuss how their brand can come across visually, from logo design to brand identity and all points in between. This process helps us get into our client’s mindset so that we know exactly how they want to represent themselves—not only externally but also internally (if your company has employees).
In conclusion...
Keep your logo timeless and simple and include supporting brand elements to express what you do. Together, they work to capture the overall FEEL of your business and express the deeper WHY.