What’s the difference between a logo and a brand?
A logo is a symbol, image and/or combination of letters that visually represent your business. Most often, it’s a combination of a graphical image combined with the letters that spell out a business name.
A brand is much more complex than a logo. It’s a combination of many different elements that represent the overall ‘personality’ of a business. A basic brand includes a logo, a tagline, a mission statement, a color palette and various products or services that the business provides. A well developed brand will also include an engaging story, various graphical & photographical images, ideas that it aligns with, perhaps sounds & music, perhaps scents or tastes.
I like to think of a brand as a completely separate person, with all the senses we have to relate to it:
1. Sight
Does the business have a logo, color palette, type faces, specially shaped business cards, a website and/or social media channels? If viewed separately, can you tell those elements are part of the same business?
2. Sound
What is the business saying – what’s the tone of it’s content? And how does that make people feel? Does it have a theme song? Sound effects?
3. Touch
How does the business ‘handle’ it’s clients? And how do the actual business materials feel? Does it have a ‘soft touch’ coating on it’s business cards? Are it’s products eco friendly?
4. Taste
Is the business “tasteful” or “tasteless?” Is it’s ‘flavor’ spicy, sweet or sour?
5. Smell
If the business has a scent what it is? Fishy, floral, woodsy, citrus?
You can even take it out of the physical and into the spiritual – think about things like a spirit animal, totem, god or goddess, energies and/or chakras that represent the business brand. Diving deep into the ‘personality’ provides more opportunities for people to engage with & experience it, which creates a stronger way of relating to it. The more relatable the business brand is, the more memorable it becomes – and a memorable business is a successful business!
Isn’t that the goal?