Brands and Logos: what's the difference?

To succeed in your digital business, it is very important to have a clear understanding of the difference between brands and logos. Although in everyday language they are often used as synonyms, in advertising and legal contexts the differences are significant, and that is precisely what we at SHM Studio we would like to talk to you about today.

Have you ever wondered why companies invest a large part of their profits in advertising and marketing? Because even the best product in the world, with the highest possible quality, will never achieve success if it is not recognizable by its audience.

This is exactly the function that brands and logos perform, and a serious web agency dedicates great resources to defining a professional and effective strategy.

Brands and logos are not the same thing

The difference between brands and logos could be discussed from many points of view, but we will try to be as clear as possible.

Let's therefore start with the brand trademark, which we can define as that element that guarantees uniqueness and recognizability to the brand, which forms the brand identity and makes the product known to the general public. Legally speaking, the trademark is a sign consisting of visual and textual elements used to identify a company, its products, or services.  

And right here lies the difference with the logo, which we could define as one of the elements that make up the brand. The logo, or logotype, has the main purpose of graphically representing an idea, a concept, a company, or even a freelancer. It is the union of elements, namely letters, fonts/lettering, and color, which represent the graphic transcription of the brand.

The logo, therefore, is a part of the brand, which is a slightly more abstract concept.

Concrete examples of brands and logos

We can divide the concept of a brand into three fundamental elements.  

• The logo : the graphical representation of the company name, lettering crafted to make the company, its mission, and its ambitions immediately recognizable; to give a concrete example, the famous writing of Coca Cola , in italics, is a classic example of a logo. Think also of Walt Disney, whose logo was taken from the signature of the famous designer;

• The pictogram : it is a graphic element that is not expressed in letters, but simply through a symbol or emblem. Sometimes this symbol can become one with the brand itself, as happened with Apple's famous apple or Nike's classic “swoosh,” the legendary tick;

• The payoff : we could simply translate it as a slogan, that is, the phrase that reflects the brand's mission, expressing in a few simple letters the strength and message to be conveyed. The most famous payoff in the world is undoubtedly Nike's “Just Do It”.  

These are the elements that must never be missing to define a brand, but others can also be added, such as a musical jingle or even a mascot, which is a fictional character that makes the brand even more recognizable.

Some guidelines to know

Given the importance of what is at stake, relying on a web agency is always the best choice for creating brands and logos. In any case, it is a good rule to know at least a couple of things about the main rules to follow.

A good logo or a good brand should be simple, extremely easy, and immediate to remember. Therefore, a simple shape, with few colors and a clear, recognizable font. Indeed, there is an entire branch of design and of the Marketing which studies the colors and fonts most immediately recognizable by the human brain.

The elements to be included in the brand, such as the payoff, could also be elements traceable back to your company, in order to tie the identity even more to the logo and thus make it easier to convey graphically. At a graphic level, a brand must also be consistent with its target audience, and this is where preliminary research becomes fundamental. Selling your products to a construction company or a toy store will require different visual identities, and consequently different logos and slogans.

It is also important to create a brand that is not subject to current trends, but can last over time, giving a sense of stability, elegance, and security. This of course does not preclude the possibility that the logo, slogan, or pictogram of the brand may change according to needs, demonstrating instead that your company is able to keep up with the times, but always in relation to the created brand identity.

Creating Brand Identity: user instructions according to SHM Studio

Brands and logos are fundamental to building the company's Brand Identity . In fact, their purpose is to share genuine sensations with the potential customer, an emotion of familiarity, guarantee, and reliability.  

Whatever the specialization of your business, the visual image will always start from the logo creation , and then go on to define the brand and along with it the story you will tell will be outlined, which will define your business in the years to come.

What image represents you? In what kind of reality do you operate together with your clients? Why should users choose you over your competitor? These are all questions that a serious web agency like us at SHM Studio we ask ourselves before starting to work on your brand.  

Our team of creatives and analysts will work closely with you from the very early stages, which means clarifying the key elements that represent your company and need to be graphically represented. Once this part is understood, we move on to the actual creation of the logo. Obviously, a logo and a brand in general are not created in an afternoon, but various attempts, various tests with different fonts, colors, and styles will be necessary before achieving the desired result. The process we use involves a continuous series of feedback to ensure that the effect is exactly what is desired.  

For the construction of your Brand Identity, for your brands and logos, and for much more, turn only to expert professionals in the sector. We at SHM Studio , thanks to over 10 years of experience in digital marketing and 600 completed projects, we can help you bring your brand to life. Contact us and we will find the best solution for you and your business.