The identity of a brand

Logo. Identity. Brand. These are all the same and can be used interchangeably, right? Well, in a word, no. These three little words are very close to a designer’s heart as they lie at the core of what we do: confuse them at your peril. A common misconception is that a brand is simply a logo, whereas a logo is not your brand, nor is it your identity. All have different roles that work together to help form a perception of a company or product.

The words ‘logo’, ‘identity’, ‘brand’ and ‘branding’ are often bandied about by different people, within marketing companies, advertising agencies, public relations firms and graphic/web design studios, as well as clients, who define them within their own frame of expertise and reference. So, it’s not surprising that people have become a bit confused and think they’re just marketing buzzwords that mean little and are an excuse for agencies to pocket large amounts of cash to draw a few squiggles – the many articles on the Internet about the London 2012 logo being a case in point.

So, we've taken a look at these words (using the London 2012 logo as a starting point) and created an easy to use, basic guide and explanation for each to remove some of the mystery and waffle from the equation. Now, we certainly don’t pretend to have all the answers here, and there may be some designers (and marketers) who disagree with our definitions, but hopefully this makes things a wee bit clearer. If so, it’s a good starting point from which to explore the complex world of branding.

» Download our guide to logos and identity here (PDF)