Brand and identity

October 16, 2019

Usually, when we use the word identity or brand, we think of a logo. A logo is not your brand, nor is it your identity. Logo design, identity design and brand marketing have different roles that together form the perceived image of a company or product.

There has been some recent discussion online about your logo not being your brand. While this is true, many people define these 3 things differently. If you wanted to summarize the definition in one sentence, you would say:What is a brand? – Perceptible emotional image of the company as a whole. What is identity? – Visual views that are part of the overall brand. What is a logo? – A mark in which the company is recognized in the simplest form using a symbol or icon.

What is a brand?

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Branding is certainly not an easy topic to briefly explain – there have been countless publications and hundreds of books written on the subject, but in a nutshell, a “brand” could be described as an organization, service, or product with an established “personality” perceived by the audience itself. It should also be emphasized that the designer cannot “design” the brand – only the audience can do that. The designer can only edit the visual image of the future logo or any other visual presentation tool.Many people believe that a brand consists of several elements – colors, fonts, logos, and slogans. In reality, the explanation is much more complicated than that. A brand could be said to be the ‘image of a company.The fundamental idea and fundamental concept related to the corporate image are that everything a company does, everything it owns, and everything it produces reflects the values and goals of the company as a whole.The consistency of this central idea forms a company that drives it and shows what it stands for, what it believes in, and why it exists. It is not just about certain colors, certain fonts, a logo, and a slogan.As an example, we can highlight a well-known company, Apple. As a company, Apple develops a humanistic corporate culture and strong corporate ethics characterized by volunteerism, good customer support, and community involvement. These business values are evident in everything they do, from their innovative products and advertising to their customer service. Apple is an emotionally humanist brand that really tries to connect with people. When people buy or use their products or services, they feel part of the brand. It is this emotional connection that made their brand what it is today.

What is a corporate identity?

One of the main roles of a ‘brand’ or ‘corporate image’ is its identity.In most cases, the design of the identity is based on the visual devices used in the company and is usually drawn up within defined guidelines. These guidelines, which make up the identity, usually dictate how the identity is used across different media using approved color palettes, fonts, layouts, spacing, and so on. These guidelines ensure that the company’s identity is kept consistent across advertising channels, which in turn makes the brand recognized as a whole.A company’s identity or ‘image’ consists of several visual devices:

Logo (company and brand symbol)
Stationery (Letters + business cards + envelopes, etc.)
Marketing material (flyers, brochures, books, websites, etc.)
Products and packaging (products that are sold and their packaging)
Employee clothing (from slippers to T-shirts)
Signaling (internal and external)
reports and statistics (messages transmitted through indirect or direct means of communication)
Other communication (sound, smell, touch, etc.)
Everything that represents the company

All these things represent the identity and should support the brand as a whole. A logo is a holistic brand and brand wrapped up in one recognizable brand. This brand is the avatar and symbol of the company as a whole. Identity and branding are much more.