Is my Logo really MY BRAND?

Some people think that the logo and brand is the same thing with no difference. But in reality the logo is just a visual image of the brand while the brand is the reputation of the company. It is the perception that the consumers have of particular company.

A logo and a brand are entirely two different things but work hand in hand for successful marketing. When both the elements are combined together strategically then the company succeeds in communicating the message effectively. It helps in conveying the values and benefits of the company while at the same time it helps in attracting the consumers.

Let’s have a detailed look on what is a logo, what is a brand and what sets them apart:

What is a LOGO?

A logo is a visual representation of the company that is recognized by the crowd. A logo usually includes a name, a symbol and color and the combination of these three makes the trademark for the company. A logo is a re-designable visual image that gives a representation to brand message and position. A logo, that is well-designed, will evoke emotions from the consumers depending upon the experience that they have with the brand. A logo serves to be a tool that communicates and represent the brand.

The logo is the identity of the brand so it must represent the values and the personality of the company accurately if it has to connect itself with the audience. It should be the true reflection of the brand so that it resonate the perception and views that consumers will hold. If the logo fails to do so then the company will suffer disconnection from its audience.

In essence, a logo must be the only tool when it comes to represent your brand even though it is not your brand but a part of it. Holding such an importance, a logo is worth few hundred bucks that is spent on a professional logo designer.

What is a BRAND?

A brand is the interaction that the consumer had with the company. A brand includes the positioning, the message and communication, the visual appeal, the target audience, and all other marketing activities that affects the presence and the experience that the consumers have with the company, its products and/or services. a brand is actually the perception and the feeling that the consumer have for your business when they come in contact.

One needs to understand that a brand cannot be created by definition as a brand is developed itself even if the company doesn’t want to have one. Only they can tweak and enhance it making it better according to their needs. Knowing your current image helps you in devising new strategies so that you can give a new direction to the brand if required.

All in all, a logo is the visual identity of your business that represents the perception of the consumers giving company a face. While the brand is everything and everything is the brand. All your moves, interactions, the visual representations, your connectivity and positioning, consumer experience are your brand so the businesses need to be very vigilant and careful.

Should a logo be timeless or trendy?

Logo is your corporate identity that communicates the core-marketing message of your business. You dream to be highly connected with your audience and you think that it’s best to be trendy and fashion-chic even with your logo to attract your young audience. Your designer thinks otherwise and there the contradictions start.

Your logo is supposed to last for lifetime and that is why when designing a logo it is best to avoid trends. The logo is the visual identity of your product and it is not advisable to change it regularly, as the potential customers will fail to recognize it every time.

The trends are changing constantly and if the designer follows the trend then soon the logo will become outdated forcing the organization to change it again.

Logos play an important role in representing a company, its products and its nature. They are becoming crucially important in the personalization of the organization giving a face to it. A strong logo helps in building a successful and long-lasting brand as it serves to be a great marketing tool.
It becomes a neck-breaking exercise when one needs an exceptional logo. It is a time consuming and hard working activity. A good logo distills the essence of the company making it unique and different. In addition to this, the designer must have a clear understanding.

A designer must understand that there are certain trends that can be incorporated and others need to be avoided. A designer needs to keep a close look on the color trends. Colors are an important element of logo design as it affects the meaning of the message that is being conveyed. Color trends do not change quite often and that is why they have a long life in design businesses. But other trends like swooshes and Helvetica fonts need to be avoided. Such trends become outdated and redundant. At the time of their popularity, logos incorporating such trends may look slick and smart but the moment these trends obsolete, the logos lose their appeal too.

A good logo is simple in design but it follows five ground principles: unique, relevant, memorable, timeless and versatile.

It is very important for a logo to be timeless. A good logo lasts for years without any major changes keeping its appeal constant over the years. It is quite usual that designers are tempted to incorporate new trends to make the logo unique but it can damage the image of the organization as every company works on long-term relationship with their consumers.

An ideal logo should be able to withstand the test of time. None of us has ever witnessed big brands changing their logo after every few years and none of them has ever used any of the trending design elements. Remember that today’s trendy craze is usually tomorrow’s old news.