Logo, identity and brand all sound like they could be the same thing, right? Wrong. Think of it this way – your logo is comparable to your name, your identity is like your personality, and your brand is the way people view you. When all of these elements are combined together, they form the building blocks to begin marketing your company. Let’s break each one of these down into laymen’s terms.
Logo – Your logo is a mark that identifies your business in the simplest form, kind of like your name. It is critical to have a logo that is easily recognizable. Your logo is the element that triggers the feelings of consumers, as it is most often seen.
Identity – Your identity is the visual aspects that make up your brand – the different physical elements of the company that work together and customers come in contact with. Think of it as the complete package of your company materials: your logo, business cards, email signatures, websites, ads, your employee uniforms, store layout design, package design, corporate jingle, etc.
Brand – Your brand is shaped by the perception of your audience. It should be known that the founder and CEO of a company cannot “make” your brand – only the audience can do this, and it’s usually based off of their initial gut feeling. Your branding is the foundation of your entire marketing framework.
Let’s take Apple as an example of each of these. When you think of Apple, you think of all the different gadgets they provide. Somewhere along the way, consumers decided that owning an Apple product upped their “cool” factor, hence the reason for pre-orders and long waiting lines when a new product is released. Their identity is very sleek and modern. They always seem to be one step ahead of the latest technology and designs. They use simple and clean lines and neutral black, white and gray shades, with various pops of color. Apple’s logo has not gone through multiple rounds of revisions, but it has changed drastically since the initial logo in 1976. The original is almost unrecognizable compared to the iconic one used today.
April 1, 1976
First official Apple logo from May 17, 1976 to August 26, 1999
Current Apple logo since August 27, 1999
And there you have it! How would you summarize your company’s brand, identity and logo?
Source: Just Creative
