Brand, logo and visual identity: what is the difference?

When a business owner says "I need a new brand", they almost always mean something else: a new logo, a nicer website, some different business cards. There is nothing wrong with that, but it helps to know what is being talked about, because each of these things solves a different problem.

Brand: what people think of you

The brand is what people think and feel when they hear the company's name. It cannot be drawn: it is built from what you say, what you do and how you treat the people who come to you. It includes the positioning (what you say, to whom, and why you are different), the message and the tone you speak in.

Logo: the signature

The logo is the graphic sign the company signs with. It is a small and important piece, but only a piece. A new logo changes how the signature looks; it does not change anyone's opinion of the company.

Visual identity: the way of dressing

Visual identity is the set of rules that makes everything look as if it comes from the same company: colours, typefaces, photography, grids, and how they apply to documents, social media and the website. The logo is one of its pieces. When it is well done, whoever sees a poster, an invoice and a social profile understands they come from the same place.

One image that helps: the brand is the reputation, the logo is the signature and the visual identity is the way of dressing. Changing clothes and signature does not change what people say about you.

Why mixing them up costs money

The most common mistake is asking for a new logo when the problem is the message. The company spends time and money on a new drawing, and still has customers who do not understand what it does or who it serves. The drawing improved; the problem stayed.

The opposite mistake exists too: a clear message with a mismatched image, with documents that look as if they come from different companies. There, visual identity really is missing.

Where to start

The order that usually works is this:

1. What you say and to whom. Who your customer is and why they choose you.
2. How you say it. The tone, the words you use and the ones you avoid.
3. How it looks. Only then the design: logo, colours, typefaces.

Jumping straight to the third point is common, and leaves the identity without a reason to exist. That is why, in Brand Strategy, positioning and message come first and visual identity follows as a consequence.

Three questions to see what is missing

• Can you explain who the company is for and why it is different, in one sentence?
• Does everyone who works with you explain the company in the same way?
• Do the materials (website, social media, proposals, invoices) all look like they come from the same company?

If the answer fails on the first, the work is brand. If it fails on the third, it is visual identity. If it fails on the second, it is worth writing the message down for everyone to use. To go deeper, we have two guides: Branding for SMEs and Visual identity.

In short

• The brand is the idea people have of the company; the logo is the signature; visual identity is the set of rules that makes everything look like the same company.
• A new logo does not fix a confusing message.
• The right order is: what you say and to whom, how you say it, how it looks.

Quick questions

Does a small company need brand guidelines?

It needs rules, but they can fit in a few pages: colours, typefaces, the logo and how to use it, tone of voice. The guidelines grow with the team and with the number of places where the brand appears.

Can I change just the logo?

You can, if the problem really is the design: it is dated, does not work at small sizes or does not match the rest. If the problem is the message, changing the logo is not enough.

Is a brand only for big companies?

No. Every company has a brand, because it has a reputation. The difference is between letting it form on its own and guiding it.