You Might Need a New Brand Not A New Logo - Difference Between Terms
The business is slow, client turnover is high, and funds are getting low. What is happening?! Is your brand not good enough! So you call your marketing teams and set down a meeting for a relaunch of your brand thus you need a new logo. You find a designer and get that trendy logo done. It's sleek, stylish, modern. You love it! A fresh look on your business.
The BIG LAUNCH happens! and at first, it's doing great then suddenly everything went all the awry. It circled it's way back to the beginning!
What happened?!
Well maybe you didn't need a new logo, perhaps the old logo was good enough but what you need is a rebrand. But wait, are you saying a logo isn't a brand. Uhm No! So that's what we are going to investigate and learn.
Today we are going to talk about what is a Brand, Brand Identity and Logo. Why are they important and when to change it.
Most businesses, entrepreneurs, and designers get confused about and which one you need for your brand to be successful.
So let's dive in!
Brand
A brand is the perception of others about your business. What people get to say when they talk about your products and services. What is the overall experience when they come in contact with the product or service? What they tell their friends and family.
So wait you're telling me that the brand is all about the customer's opinion about my business, you may ask. to which I answer "Yes"
"But how can I control that, if not with a logo?"
Well, let's take a look at the 2 parts we can use to help you influence the brand.
Let's take into account the definition of branding
Branding - the process of controlling how a brand looks, feels and communicate
1.) Introspection - Asking the tough questions. What is the purpose of the business (what is your why aside from generating money of course) and why should people care, what are your values?
Why is it important: People buy from people and brands are personas or businesses having human personalities if people can relate, they will TRUST you and in turn, are willing to buy from you.
2.) Extrospection - this is where we research and understand our target market and how can we communicate with them better. We understand what their pain points are and we know how we can help them. We understand what they hold dear in their hearts.
Why is this important: Knowing what are their pain points, dreams, goals, and aspiration, values will make every creative execution from logo design, copy headline, photography, Youtube video, any piece of content you put out will be relevant to your target market. Speaking in the same language gives you access to their hearts and wallets. (they trust you with their money).
When do you need a rebranding/branding?
1.) When you don't have a clear direction on what market you want to serve?
2.) Why is your business exist aside from monetary benefit?
3.) How to communicate with them in a consistent and coherent voice?
4.) How can we touch hearts or speak the same language as our customers and clients?
Brand Identity
https://dribbble.com/shots/6608365-Vertobase-Brand-Guidelines (Image) Vector-based guidelines by Leo
Brand Identity is the organized and systematic selection of fonts, colors, visuals and/or auditory anchors that will help the brand stand out, be consistent and in alignment with its brand strategy.
This is where the branding guidelines come from. It is a guidebook or document that will allow you to consistently use the graphical elements that will make your brand look consistent in any platform, online or offline.
Why is it important: As your business and brand continue to grow you need to be consistent in every platform you use (social media, blogs, website). This is also important that when you hand your brand to different agencies/employees/designers for any creative execution so they will know what to consider when working with you.
Logo
A logo is a part of brand identity. It is a mark or the face of the business.
Sometimes the logo is the one that gets changed a lot. Businesses often think that it'll improve the sales, brand preference, loyalty (basically the magic solution to everything) or how the market will feel about them. And sometimes if the logo is changed some long-term clients and customers get frustrated (See Google: GAP logo change disaster)
Why is it important: A logo is the face of the business. An anchor of emotion. It is the final melody that concludes the musical. The final piece of the puzzle once the experience, values, expectations, clear communication has been set into the mind of the consumer/client. The resolution of the story. It is a reminder of what the business stands for and why they exist.
When to change the logo:
1.) When the logo doesn't reflect the brand strategy of the business.
2.) A change in the target market. (logos contain psychographic elements that will make the target market susceptible to it.)
3.) A complete 180-degree change of business (business model, other-wise)
When to improve the logo
1.) The brand has heritage or history and has long term clients and customers that are familiar with the logo but it needs a modern touch to it.
So are you now clear with the difference between the 3? Maybe you just need a rebrand?
Further Reading: The Brand GAP by Martin Nuemier, Creative Strategy and the Business of Design by Douglas Davis
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