Logo Design vs. Brand Design: What's the Difference?

Believe it or not, a lot of people don’t know the difference between a brand and a logo. What’s a brand? What’s a logo? These are questions you should be asking yourself before working on your company’s branding strategy. And don’t worry if you don’t know the answers, because a lot of people, even professionals such as designers and marketing agencies, can confuse the two together. More often than not, when people say “our brand”, they are referring to their logo, but they’re wrong. Logo design and brand design are completely different. How? Keep on reading to find out!
 

First, let’s understand what a brand is

Simply said, a brand is more than just a logo, it’s your whole identity. A brand is to a business what reputation is to a person. A brand is about the perceived functional and emotional benefits versus the actual benefits of the product or service you’re selling. If you’re already in business and have an audience and customers, you already have a brand, even if you didn’t work on it. Even without shaping it in the eyes of your consumers of even defining what it is, your brand already exists. Basically, your brand is the basis of your competitive advantage and your position in your industry.



 

Then, let’s define what a logo is

Also known as a trademark, mark, brand mark, logotype, symbol, brand icon, or wordmark, your logo is the typographic and/or graphic mark that makes it easy for consumers to identify your business or organization. It’s usually just one element, although it is quite important to your company’s brand identity.
A logo also helps your audience recognize your company, differentiate it from your competitors, and recall it. While a brand and an identity are intangible, a logo is a tangible way to express the characteristics, values, and overall essence of what you offer to your customers. Yet, a logo alone cannot and will not be able to illustrate or represent your brand identity as a whole. Sure, a creative logo design is important, but it’s only one small part of your brand design.
Instead, your logo will serve as a visual reminder of your business, as well as its “signature”. It’s also the embodiment of your history as a company, as the best logos always tell a story. A great logo is an asset. It helps you differentiate yourself from your competitors, as well as communicate the values of your brand to your market of choice.
 

So, what’s the difference?

Both logo and brand are important to set yourself apart from the competition, especially if you’re trying to reposition your company on the market and generate leads and sales. But, a good logo on its own can’t make that happen, as, in the end, your brand is what dictates your sales. No matter how unique or creative your logo is, if your audience doesn’t feel good about you, no logo design will help, but brand design might. To put it simply, a logo design is, in itself, part of your brand design. When you create your logo, you will need to keep in mind what image you want to give the world (which is your brand). All in all, your logo design should be the result of a wider branding process that defines your company’s values, core promise, and image.
So, now that you know more about the difference between brand design and logo design, you’ll be able to start working on your branding strategy in no time!

Author Bio
Alicia Rother is a freelance content strategist who works with small businesses and startups to boost their brand reach through creative content design and write-ups. You can connect with her here.