Building Your Brand
Building your brand is a crucial part of any business, one that all too often overlooked. Many times a logo design is treated as being interchangeable with branding, and while the two do go and-in-hand they are not the same. Businesses often overlook the true potential of what a brand can and will accomplish by settling for just a logo.
So what is it that sets a brand apart from a logo. Why is the jump from a logo to a brand so difficult, and why do you need a brand, not just a logo? Below we will explore and explain.
What is a Logo?
A logo is a business’ identification in its simplest form via a recognizable mark or symbol. Logos derive their meaning from the product or service it symbolizes and therefore seek to identify, not explain or sell. A logo is not a strategy, but rather a company’s “avatar”. A companies logo should be memorable, simple and timeless, leaving room for what the logo actually represents, you. Chaotic and complex logos distract from what is actually trying to be communicated.
An important counterpart of a company logo is its identity, a company’s logo and identity are inextricable. When talking about identity, we are talking about business cards, letterhead, marketing collateral, packaging, signage, basically anything visual. Identity is the vehicle for a logo and, just like a logo, is purely for identification purposes.
So what makes a logo “good?”. There are five characteristics that make an effective logo. It should be simple, memorable, versatile, appropriate and timeless. With no reference to the emotion these companies’ brands create, the following logos identify their product or service effectively.
What is a Brand?
A brand is the emotion behind what someone feels, sees and tastes when they interact with your company on any level. At the core, branding is an emotional experience. While a memorable logo is important; it paves the way for effective branding. However, a brand is more than a logo. It’s more than just visual identification. A brand is the emotion behind what someone feels, sees and tastes when they interact with your company on any level. Your brand is the image behind what your business believes and strives to accomplish. As a result, your brand becomes your personality and along with that personality comes numerous associations. Therefore a brand bears much more responsibility than a logo.
Effective branding requires endless work, because it is something that is constantly being formed by the public’s perception. Although a designer lays the foundation of a brand visually, the brand’s audience is what truly shapes it. Therefore, it is imperative that the foundation is laid correctly by falling in line with your business’ image and goals. Understanding how the market’s perception of your brand balances with your company’s goals leads to making informed branding decisions and is crucial to developing a brand that will endure and remain timeless. After all, branding is an emotional experience that people want to be a part of. Make it engaging.
While the best logos are typically created by the “best” brands, it’s possible to establish brilliant branding with a mediocre logo. Branding is much deeper than mere visual representation. However, use discretion; many logos are simply too unreliable and amateur to support an effective branding strategy.
If you need help building your brand, or want a more effective logo for your business, contact us at DMA Solutions we can help shape your brand and elevate your logo to portray your business more effectively.
