This question, what is a brand, is one that has been frequently asked and answered in various ways, is there a straight answer? Lets start with the common misconception that when a business brands itself, it just needs a logo.
I am approached by new clients or find when looking through posts in start-up and entrepreneurial forums, I run into the same request time and time again…
I need a logo for my new business
Now, don’t get me wrong, this is a completely valid request. Every client and customer facing business needs a logo, but a logo is a small part of what a new business really needs… a brand!
What is the difference you ask?
Lets start with ‘logo’:
Dictionary.com defines a logo as “a graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often uniquely designed for ready recognition.”
A logo is that one mark that is synonymous with your business. For example, the Nike swoosh or the McDonald’s ‘M’ or those colourful letters that make up the word Google.
*Image references at bottom of article, images 1,2,3 respectively
Now the much trickier question, what is a brand?
Marty Neumeier (designer, brand consultant and author of ‘The Brand Gap’) gives us what is possibly the most accurate definition of a brand:
Brand is not what you say it is. It’s what they say it is
Although it may sound vague and slightly confusing, what’s meant by this, is that a brand is what its consumers perceive it to be.
Now, this isn’t to say that we cannot control the narrative and dictate consumers perceptions, in fact, that is exactly what we can do. To do this we must ask…
What makes up a brand?
- Who/What – What is the brand? What do they offer? How are they different to their competitors?
- Brand promise – What are the core values of the brand? The things that are central to every decision made by the brand and that the consumer expects to receive when they encounter the brand? (These may be physical or emotional elements).
- Brand positioning – Think about the target audience. Who is the brand talking to? What tone of voice does the brand have and how will it interact with its consumers?
- Brand elements – This is the is the brand promise and positioning made visual. It includes any design, the logo, colours, fonts, patterns, imagery styles and more.
There you have it. Now you know what a brand really is and why it is so much more than a logo alone!
If you have any questions or would like to talk about developing your brand feel free to send us an email at welcome@thedesignerbranding.com.au or check out our custom branding packages here.
*1 https://tech.everyeye.it/notizie/amazon-accordo-con-nike-per-vendita-dei-prodotti-sportivi-297388.html
*2 http://pngimg.com/imgs/logos/google/
*3 https://www.ergodotisi.com/en/Company/McDonald%E2%80%99s%20Cyprus
