Brand Vs Logo: Is there a difference?

As a designer, I often encounter misconceptions about branding. With everyone and their dog out there toting brand advice, I thought it might be a great time to break down branding and how it differs from your logo. 

WHAT A BRAND IS NOT 

Let's dispel the myth that branding is only your logo. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been told by clients that they already have their branding done because they have a logo. I understand. It must have taken you a long time to select the perfect icon that describes you so perfectly. You studied the colors and found the meanings of each that perfectly describe your business. You have certainly done your homework, and the result is impressive! 

Nevertheless, I have to tell you that a logo is NOT a brand. It is merely a symbol.

According to dictionary.com, a symbol is something used to represent something else; a material object representing something, usually something immaterial; an emblem, token, or sign. Therefore, the question is, what is your logo representing? What does it stand for? 

WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR?

Think about Batman's insignia, for example. An older version had a black bat shape in a yellow oval. The latest version is just a black bat shape. I will stick with my retro geek roots and use a black shape of a bat in a yellow oval.  Adam West rocked this version from 1966 to 1968. Take a look at the evolution of the Batman logo here if that sort of thing interests you, as it does me.

What makes an image of a black shape of a bat within a yellow oval worth taking another look at, or even better, deserving of high regard? It is not the black shape of a bat in the yellow oval that means anything. It is what stands for that matters. 

When you see the black shape of a bat in a yellow oval you instantly identify it with words like hope, power, and justice. 

Yes, But WHY do you identify that symbol with these words? Well, this is when the idea of a brand comes into play. It is the brand that ties it all together. Branding for Dummies, 2nd Edition by Bill Chiaravalle and Barbara Findlay Schenck nails the description of a brand when it says, your brand is your promise. It is the essence and idea of what you stand for. Your brand starts with a vision. It then grows into a promise about who you are and what you stand for that gets reinforced every time people come in contact with any facet of your business. Don’t let the name fool you, the for Dummies books absolutely embody the K.I.S.S principle. If there is no need to overcomplicate things, don't. Keep it Simple, Silly. 

So, simply put your brand is what people trust and believe you stand for and your logo represents that.

It is all about perception.

So if we continue with the Batman analogy, his brand stands for hope, power, and justice. Because this is his promise to the city of Gotham and the
World at large; what he says and then what he does backs up his promise of hope, power, and justice every time he takes on whatever villain happens to be trying to take over Gotham that week. 

The City of Gotham has come to know when they see the shape of the Bat justice is about to be served. 

What would happen if every time there was a villain about to take over Gotham City, Commissioner Gordon threw the Bat Signal in the air, Bruce Wayne responded, "Yeah Man, I am not feeling it today. Do you think you could handle it yourself?"? The symbol of the bat would soon become associated with disappointment and even laziness. 

Obviously, most businesses are trying to avoid a negative reputation such as this.

So to sum it all up, while you originate the vision for your brand, you tell people who you are and what you stand for with every action your business takes or does not take and every interaction the consumer has with your business.