The Difference Between a Logo and a Brand

Whether your business has been around for a while, or you're in the beginning stages of launching a new company, the branding terms can get a bit confusing. But it's important to understand what your logo design is, and what your company brand is. Understanding how to create a brand is the only way you will be able to effectively influence people's perceptions about your business.

After more than a decade of building brands, we have a pretty good grasp on what branding really is. So, here we are sharing our insights on how to distinguish what your company’s brand is and how your logo design plays a role.

The 411 on Logos

We don't need to mince words here. Yes, your logo is your brand mark. Check out this one we created for Hogwood above! It doesn't tell you everything about what their business is, but it does give you somewhat of an idea. And if you click to the Hogwood website, you will another tidbit of information that informs your quest.

A logo is a symbol of your brand, but it does not represent all of your brand in its entirety — a brand is a lot bigger, but more on that later.

Your company logo is a visual identity piece for your brand that should be a professional and polished representation of your business to clients and potential customers.

This little mark can be made up of a variety of elements including a logo icon, a logo color palette, and a set of logo fonts. If designed by a top-notch logo design firm, your logo should be a versatile, simplistic mark to represent your company. You see, your logo acts as a platform for telling your story. It opens the door for you to talk about your business with customers, clients -- both existing and potential, as well as your employees and the general public.

Our designers work to thoughtfully pair your logo icon with a strategic color palette and a well-crafted typographic design. Your logo and icon will be on almost all of your branded assets, so it’s important that your logo design company nails this piece for you.

Once you have a powerful brand element, it’s time to tackle the behemoth that is branding.

The 411 on Branding

Now. We all agree that your logo design is an integral part of your brand. But, here we are stating that the logo is not your brand. So, what is branding, really? That is a question we’ve tackled time and time again.

As the branding process takes place, a logo company like Nice Branding Agency would take your company through a journey to define who your company is, both visually and through messaging.

We prefer to start our branding projects with foundational branding so we can uncover how your brand should be built from the ground up. Here, we discover who your company truly is, how it should be positioned in the market, what attributes it possesses, and how the position and attributes should be conveyed via visual direction.

An example of the foundational branding process can be seen in our portfolio as part of a rebranding project we completed for an HCA subsidiary, now CereCore. This foundation allows our designers, strategists, and copywriters, as well as our clients' internal stakeholders, to have a firm grip on how the company should convey its personality.

Don't worry. We're getting closer to identifying what branding really is and how your logo plays a part.

Once the foundation is firmed up, it’s time to start solidifying the brand support through the strategy and design of each and every customer touchpoint. It's this brand support, that tells your story. We call it brand support because there is no one piece of collateral, no matter how foundational, that can be identified as your brand. Your brand is the perception that people have about your company, based on all they have encountered on behalf of the company. More on that in our post on What is Branding, Really?

So, how does the logo come into play. Surely, it's an important piece of the pie. Yes, the logo is a primary brand element. But, so is everything from the text on your website to a poster to your business card — and everything in between. These items work hand-in-hand to ensure your brand has the potential to exist.

So, say it with us again. A brand is not just physical assets that are developed by a logo designer, it goes much deeper, and it’s actually what goes through a consumer’s mind when they encounter any part of your business. It’s a perception that customers and potential customers alike have conjured up as they interact with your company at any level.

Start with your foundation. Then, build a logo that provides a platform for sharing that foundation. Then, weave the visuals and verbiage through each and every single thing that someone may encounter related to your company.

You have the power to build a brand that influences a customer based on external encounters and internal beliefs. That puts a lot of responsibility on you as the business leader to ensure that consumers are viewing your company the way that you want them too.

Branding can impact not only your business’ reputation, but it can also yield significant financial benefits and can shift consumer focus to your brand story — the heart behind who you are and what your business does.

Let’s Roll

Now that you can pinpoint the difference between branding and a logo, it’s time to get the ball rolling. We can develop extra nice brand support for your company that has true meaning and gives people the right idea about who you are. Sound good? Let's get it going. Call us today.