Logo vs Brand Identity vs Brand

A logo is not an identity. And an Identity system is not a Brand. But you need a logo and identity system to help influence brand perception. Confused yet? Brand Expert, Marty Neumeier gives the most succinct explanation:

A Brand is created when a large enough group of people have the same positive or negative perception of a business, based on interactions and/or customer reviews. Therefore, a Brand is psychological, not physical.

The best a business can do in controlling their brand, is to influence customers perceptions with consistent visuals, products, customer service, and marketing. And if one or more of those fails expectations, the brand can be perceived in a less positive light. To put it lightly.

This means cohesiveness and authenticity are extremely important principles, when considering brand perception. For instance, a logo is the most-identified image of a business, and the cornerstone of a visual identity system. So it should accurately represent a business’s function, values, and/or personality. But it’s still only one of many parts that make up the greater whole.

This greater whole is called a visual identity sytem, and it makes it possible to speak with one, cohesive voice across all media platforms. Making it easier for everyone to remember you, talk about you, and differentiate you from the competition. And yet, even an identity system is still not a Brand.

If someone claims to create brands or branding, I’d say unless they’re sticking a hot metal iron into a steer’s backside, they’re not branding anything. Yet, they are influencing brand perception, in one way or another.

Some may call that semantics. But when you’re spending big bucks for something that should be accurate, flexible, and sustainable for a long time, it’s critically important to know the meaning of these words and the differences between them.