Trademarks and Logos: what is the difference?

To be successful in your digital business, it is very important to be clear in your mind about the difference between trademarks and logos. Although in layman's language they are often used as synonyms, in advertising and legal language the differences are important, and this is exactly what we at SHM Studio we would like to talk to you today.

Have you ever wondered why companies invest most 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 puts great resources into establishing a professional and effective strategy.

Trademarks and logos are not the same thing

The difference between brands and logos could be discussed in many ways, but we will try to be as clear as possible.

So let us start with the trademark, which we can define as that element that ensures uniqueness and recognizability of the brand, which forms the brand identity and makes the product known to the general public. Legally speaking, a trademark is a sign formed by visual and textual elements used to identify a company, its products or services. 

And therein lies the difference with the logo, which we might call one of the elements that goes to make up the brand. The logo, or logotype, has the main purpose of graphically representing an idea, concept, company or even a freelancer. It is the union of elements, namely letters, font/lettering and color, which represent the graphic transcription of the brand.

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

Concrete examples of trademarks and logos

We can divide the concept of branding into three basic elements. 

• The logo: the graphic representation of the company name, an elaborate inscription that makes the company, its mission and ambitions immediately recognizable; to give a concrete example, the famous inscription of the Coca Cola, in italics, is a classic example of a logo. Think also of Walt Disney, whose logo was taken from the famous designer's signature;

• The pictograph: 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 to Apple's famous apple or Nike's classic “swooosh,” the mustache that has become a legend;

• The payoff: we could simply translate it as a slogan, that is, that phrase that reflects the mission of the brand, 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 should never be missing to define a brand (or a brand) but others can also be added, such as a musical jingle or even a mascot, i.e., a fantasy character that makes the brand even more recognizable.

Some guidelines to know

Given the importance of the stakes, relying on a web agency is always the best choice for brand and logo creation. In any case, it's a good rule of thumb to know at least a thing or two about what the main rules to follow are.

A good logo or a good brand name should be simple, very easy and immediate to remember. So a simple form, with few colors and a clear and recognizable font. There is in fact a whole branch of the design and 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 that can be traced back to your company, so as to tie the identity even more closely to the logo and thus make it easier to convey graphically. At the graphic level, a brand must also be consistent with its target audience, and this is where the preliminary study becomes crucial. 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 the fashions of the moment, but can last over time, giving a feeling of stability, elegance and security. This, of course, does not preclude the possibility that the logo, slogan or pictogram of the brand will change as needed, demonstrating instead that your company is able to stay in step with the times, but always in relation to the brand identity created.

Creating Brand Identity: instructions for use according to SHM Studio

Brands and logos are critical to building the Brand Identity of a company. Indeed, they aim to share with the potential customer genuine feelings, an emotion of familiarity, assurance and reliability. 

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

What image represents you? What kind of reality do you operate in together with your customers? 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 we start working on your brand. 

Our team of creatives and analysts will work closely with you from the preliminary stages, that is, clarifying the key elements that represent your company and need to be represented graphically. Having understood this part we move on to the actual creation of the logo. Obviously, a logo and in general a brand is not created in an afternoon, but it will take several attempts, several trials with different fonts, colors and styles before reaching the desired result. The process we use involves a continuous series of feedback to make sure that the effect is exactly as desired. 

For building your Brand Identity, for your trademarks and logos, and for much more, turn only to experienced professionals in the field. We at SHM Studio, with 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 know how to find the best solution for you and your business.