What is Branding, Identity and Logo design?

What is Branding, Identity, and Logo design?

Brands are promises, building trust in who you are, what you stand for, and what specific benefits you offer. A complete Brand encompasses your logo, signage, identity system, collaterals, and the entire perceived image of the company by the consumer.

You build your Brand by promising every single time, the same benefits

What is Identity?

Identity is the whole overlook of the visual aids used to represent the company. It is important that the corporate image be cohesive and consistent throughout.

What is a logo?

A logo or identity mark is a symbol or logotype (where the logo is made out of the company’s name) with which a customer can immediately identify.

For instance, Apple, the computer giant, has an indisputable Brand. When you walk into an Apple store you know you’re getting a quality Brand. Below are some pictures of the apple Store and the evolution of the Apple logo.

Apple further grows its Brand by offering free workshops in their stores. Every time Apple comes out with a new item or an upgrade, people get excited and wait in lines for a whole day to get a new iPhone or tablet.

If your Brand expressions are different than what consumers comprehend your product or services to be, your Brand will be inconsistent and not credible, leading to a poor reputation. So be truthful about what you offer.

The most famous Brand in the world: McDonald’s

A brief history of the McDonald’s logo

The one used today

McDonald’s has the most successful Brand in the world because it is more recognizable than any other Brand. They maintain a stable, corporate image, consisting of strong signage, a worldwide abundance of restaurants, up-to-date fare, and able to keep prices down. These characteristics lead up to the overall Brand image.

Naming

Naming is probably the most important and challenging phase of your Brand. It distinguishes you from your competitors. It establishes your personality, your overall Brand, and your services offered. As mentioned in What is Branding  Your services must be consistent with your Brand promise. Again, be truthful about what you offer. It establishes trust and dependability and grows your company.

Your name allows room for your company to grow. Your graphics and corporate identity will change, but your name will never change.

Types of Names

Steve’s Stationery Store is one way of naming your company. It’s an easy process, easy to register. However, if you should sell your company it won’t be as profitable and premium as a unique and marketable name. Crazy names have the potential of being their own Brand, like Google below.

Consider that the  © Brand name is worth $67 million dollars, and accounts for over 54% of the stock market value of the organization.

Some very old logos and a timeline

A brief history of the Coca Cola Brand

Abbreviated Names

Names like IBM© and AOL© had extensive marketing on their spelled-out names, International Business Machines© and America on Line©, before abbreviating them. A name like AACar Rental is not an impressionable name. It will only take its place in alphabetical lists.

Early IBM logos

This logo below was the first one designed by the infamous designer Paul Rand

Timeline IBM logos.

Paul Rand developed these logos and finally designed the famous distinguished IBM with stripes.

AOL logos