A logo is not your brand, nor is it your identity.

Logo design, identity design and branding all have different roles, that together, form a perceived image for a business or product.

There has been some recent discussion on the web about this topic, about your logo not being your brand. Although this may be true, I haven’t seen any clarification of the differences between ‘brand’, ‘identity’ and ‘logo’. I wish to rectify this.

What is brand? – The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.

What is identity? – The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.

What is a logo? – A logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon.

A strong brand identity needs to work for everyone, both our team (e.g., brand ambassadors, content creators) and the people who will interact with it (e.g., customers).

As you embark on the design process, make sure your brand identity is:

  • Distinct: It stands out among competitors and catches your people’s attention.
  • Memorable: It makes a visual impact. (Consider Apple: The logo is so memorable they only include the logo—not their name—on their products.
  • Scalable and flexible: It can grow and evolve with the brand.
  • Cohesive: Each piece complements the brand identity.
  • Easy to apply: It’s intuitive and clear for designers to use.