Branding, Identity and Logo Design
What is the difference between the three and do you need all of them?
Branding is the perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
The identity is the overall visual aspect of the brand.
The logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon.
A brand is an organization, service or product with a personality that is shaped by the perceptions of their audience. The fundamental idea and core concept behind having a corporate image is that everything a company does, owns and produces right down to their customer service should reflect the values and reasons the company exists. When people buy their products or services, they feel part of the brand or community. It is the emotional connection that creates the brand. When branding your company, ask yourself these two questions. What are you known for? If I were to introduce you to someone, how would I describe what you do for your audience?
The identity is based on a specific set of guidelines that the visual aspects of the brand must adhere to when applied to company materials. These guidelines determine the color palette, fonts, layouts and measurements of the identity to ensure it is coherent throughout its use and becomes recognizable by the company’s audience. There are several pieces to the corporate image puzzle. These pieces are listed below.
~ Stationery is the letterhead, envelopes, business card
~ Marketing collateral is website, social media, flyers, brochures, books
~ Products sold and the packages they come in
~ Shirts, hats, uniforms and any other apparel worn by employees and customers
~ Signage
~ Communications
~ Anything visual that represents the business
The logo is the easily recognizable and reproducible visual design element created for a company or product. It identifies the company or product in its simplest form, much like a person’s name.
In conclusion, branding, identity and the logo all work together to represent what the company stands for and what it means to its customers.
How and why might you decide to change your name or logo? Is it a bad idea?
Hi Kellee!
That is a great question! Here are four reasons that a logo and/or company name may need to be changed.
1. It is common for companies that have been in existence for a long time to change their logo several times over the years, mainly so that they give a feeling of a forward thinking company. When the basic elements of a logo go out of style, such as colors, images, and fonts, and the company is unable to attract new clients, it is time for a new logo design. No one wants a logo that looks like it is stuck in the past. When the logo is changed though, certain elements of the original logo remain similar, but updated, so that customers still recognize the logo.
2. Now, if a young company that doesn’t have much of a following yet has a name or logo that was originally chosen without thinking about the meaning behind the logo or if the company has evolved and changed directions and the logo is no longer reflective of what the company does, it would be a good time to change the logo and also the name if necessary. Also, if there is a negative vibe that goes along with a logo because of some bad experience that people will be reminded of when they see it, that is a good time to change a logo and name of a company.
3. The third reason a company may want to change a logo is if the logo is too complex or not professional looking. When a logo is too complex, it doesn’t translate well for printing when it is reduced down to a real small size and a logo that was not designed by a professional is easily spotted too, even by non-designers. In both of these cases, the logo should be redesigned.
4. The fourth reason to change a logo and possibly a name is when companies merge. In this case, elements from both company names and logos may be combined for a whole new name and logo.
I hope this helps answer your question Kellee.