Your brand is not a logo design. I am sure you’ve heard this a thousand times.
As a designer, I’ll love to let you know why that’s the case.
Let’s assume you know what a logo is. That symbol your favorite company splashes on everything. Think of the swoosh you see on Nike’s products and Target’s bullseye.
Now that we’ve got that figured out, what is a wholesome definition of a brand?
Well, a brand is the perception an entity (like your favorite company) evokes.
It is the complete image of a business as seen through the eyes of a customer. A company’s brand is not what they say they are. It is what the people who use their products or services think about them.
Even though one may argue that a company’s logo is a part of their customer experience, it can only remain so, a part. Most times, a logo is the recognizable face of a business. And just like your face can only be used to identify but not to define you, a logo is a tool for identifying and relating with a company and not a basis for concisely describing its nature. That is the job of a brand.
For instance, you cannot arrive at the conclusion: Amazon is an online retail store with offshoots in cloud services, consumer electronics, and publishing by looking at its logo alone. You need to have heard from a friend, learned from an advert, or experience any of its services.
It is the feeling you get from these encounters that define the brand. And, like any other, your perception of these encounters may change over time. This change is a peculiarity that forces companies to push themselves in ways that help them remain relevant.
Companies tweak their brand to suit their customers’ perception of value. A logo, on the other hand, rarely changes.
A logo is the face of a company. Imagine what would happen if you changed your face every day.
You may have to restart your relationships, regrow the bonds you have built with friends, and recreate any trust you have earned along the way. This can be a challenging routine.
The difference between a logo and brand is comparable to the difference between your face and personality. The two share a symbiotic relationship.
A business will thrive when both are deployed effectively.
