The Difference between a Brand and a Logo

Many people find it confusing to distinguish between the terms brand, identity, and a logo. These three terms are usually used interchangeably, and whereas a layman can be excused for doing so, the same case should never be for a professional designer. However, if you are in the design world and you have never fully comprehended the difference between the three words, no need to worry – even some of the most polished designers know how to apply them but cannot give the outright distinction of the three words. Below, we try to figure out the differences in these potentially confusing words as well as give an explicit explanation on when each can be applied.

Understanding what a Logo is

At its basic meaning, a logo is a mark that is used to identify a brand. The term logo originates from the Greek word Logotype, a combination of two words, logo and typos meaning word and imprint respectively. The aim of the logo is primarily to promote instant public recognition of the brand. With such a significant role, the logo plays an important in the identity system of an organization, and since people are visual beings, it is also crucial for the branding of the organization. Potential customers will have a look at the logo, which is the visual mark of the company, they then will retain its color, shape and form and remember it whenever they see it another time. A logo thus becomes associated with the brand of the company or the organization.

In most instances, a logo usually consists of an icon or a symbol together with words that can be either the company’s name or the company’s slogan or tag line. There are also several instances when a logo does not have any icon or a symbol but comprise of a logotype, which essentially is nothing but just words without any symbols.

There are some cases when a brand becomes so popular that it can be easily recognized by just the symbol or the icon. It doesn’t happen most of the time, but when it does, the respective companies usually benefit a lot from the branding prowess of such logos. For instance, the Red Cross, Apple, and Nike are examples of logos that are well known in the world over, yet they feature simple symbols with no words at all.

Identity defines how your brand is perceived by your audience

Identity dictates every possible way on how your brand is perceived by your potential audiences. Identity, also known as visual identity or visual identity system in branding refers to the visual devices that a company uses to communicate its brand to the target audience. These might include but not limited to items such as a color system, graphic designs, logos, fonts, etc. The system may or may not incorporate other collateral such as brochures, signage, and stationery as well as written content like a positioning statement.

When you search over the internet for the correct meaning of a visual brand identity system, you will be bombarded with lots of information, but all these will concur that identity, in most cases refers to the visual elements that are used to recognize a company or a business. They are majorly the physical elements that customers, as well as the potential customers of the company, come in contact with. A complete package to define a brand would, therefore, include items such as the logo, email signatures, ads, websites, business cards, employee uniforms, the package designs, the store layouts, word mark, the corporate jingle, emblem, stationery symbols, etc.

A Brand – This is a concept and not a concrete of a physical object

A brand is the biggest picture in the equation and it is the foundation of every marketing framework that a company comes up with. Essentially, a brand relates to the psychological and emotional relationship that exists between a company and their customers. As defined by a well-known branding expert Marty Neumeier, a brand is your gut feeling about a business, product or a service. It is not actually what you say it is but rather what THEY say it is. Being that a brand is a gut feeling, therefore, it simply boils down to what you feel and think the very moment you come into contact with the company in question or any of their products and services.

Over the years, it has been proven that human beings are very emotional when it comes to brands. Hence, it makes it nearly impossible to give a precise definition to the concept of brand. People accumulate such gut feelings based on different experiences depending on their interaction with the company either physically or through the phone, emails, adverts, etc.

But for a strong brand to be built, a strong foundation is needed. Human emotions are very tricky. Hence, you must get it right with the messaging and the design to clearly communicate to your customers and clients. Hopefully, this clears the air about the difference between a logo, branding, and identity.

Should you ever try a DIY Logo design? Find out here!