Your Brand Is Not Your Logo

When most people think about branding and how to make their businesses stand out, often the first thing that comes to mind is: "Hey, I need a new logo". They're not entirely wrong; a logo is a key part of your brand identity.

But your brand is NOT your logo.

What's the difference?

Your Logo: A unique symbol or mark that helps loyal customers and potential buyers to identify you in a crowd of other similar businesses and brands.

Your brand, however, is simply your reputation. It's carefully crafted and built up to attract and keep the right kind of customers and users – those who resonate with your values.

Your brand has more to do with how people feel about your product/service and less about whether you picked a wordmark or a monogram to represent your business.

Why is this important information anyway? Does this mean getting a unique logo shouldn't be a priority for you at all?

Well, not exactly. You see, a logo can only help you stand out if your brand can deliver a unique experience for your customers. If you deliver a bad experience and develop a bad reputation, your logo becomes a warning sign on what brand your potential buyers/users should avoid. Get it right, though, and your logo becomes a beacon to all return customers on what their best choice in the market is, and they'll let others know as well.

As a designer, I'd always tell you to get a great logo (heck, I'll design one for you myself), but not before helping you to craft a brand that people would love and keep coming back to.

That said, let me know your thoughts. Do you think a business can get away with just slapping a logo on and calling it a day? Or is more deliberate brand building needed?