What makes a brand? Why do you need a visual identity? Where does your logo fit into all this?
Branding can be a bit of a minefield for the uninitiated, with all sorts of vague explanations and baffling jargon being banded about.
It’s time to untangle this mess! Here’s a definitive guide to how it all fits together:
What is a logo?
A logo is a unique mark that represents an organisation. Think of it like a badge. It might be a graphic, some type or a combination of both. However it looks, it should be a visual representation of the organisation’s core values.
What is a brand?
A brand is the perceived personality of an organisation. It’s how people feel about a business. So, if you serve people in any way, be they customers, clients or suppliers – you have a brand.
What is a visual identity?
A visual identity sits between the logo and the brand. It’s everything with a visual element that an organisation produces. It’s the way their brochures, website, adverts, stationery etc. look. The logo will usually be at the centre of this.
Starting to make more sense?
Let’s look at a real life example – Google, one of the world’s biggest brands.
What comes to mind when you think about Google?
Useful, clever, simple, fun?
Or maybe power hungry, bloated and greedy?
Your perception of Google will depend on your personal experience of their service. Google will do everything they can to control and manage that experience, but ultimately it’s you who makes the final call. This is Google’s brand.
Take a look at this selection of Google bits and bobs.
Each piece is different, they don’t all feature the Google logo, but it’s clear that they’re all part of the Google world. The have a consistent colour palette, the same fonts, the same style – they all have a certain look. This is Google’s visual identity.
And of course, this is the Google logo. This is the unique mark that helps us to identify a Google product. It acts like a sort of shorthand.
It might not look like much, but it represents Google’s mission and their values. (It’s straightforward, it’s fun and it’s different). And that’s what’s allowed Google to build such a strong visual identity and brand.
Recap
A brand is an emotional reaction to an organisation’s output. With careful planning it can be influenced and managed, but at the end of the day it’s in the hands of its audience.
A visual identity is the way that an organisation looks. A carefully planned visual identity system ensures that this is always consistent and never left to chance, which will influence the brand.
A logo is a unique mark that identifies an organisation. It represents the organisation’s values, not necessarily what they do, but what they mean.
