To get the best logo design for your business it is important to know the differences between branding and logo. Some people think of them as being the same thing, when in fact, they are not. The terms cannot and should not be used to mean the same as each other. This is confusing because if you think of branding as the same as logo design you will be leaving many important elements out of the equation.
So what’s the difference?
- Branding is about the identity of the business. It is the corporate image as perceived by the public that includes information about the vision, aims and goals of the company. As such, emotion plays a big part in branding.
- Identity forms a part of this but consists mainly of the visual aspects from the overall brand.
- A logo is a way of identifying that business by the use of an icon, thus logo design will have elements that reflect the important parts of the business. These elements may be text, colour, shape and even animation, but the design does not necessarily need to have every element.
The emotional aspect
So while the logo design needs to reflect what the business is about, it is not the branding. Branding happens gradually, as the business becomes well-known, even though the elements of the business have to be in place right from the start. As the brand is established in people’s minds, the emotional aspect of it springs to life.
For instance, think of a well known company and its products and your mind will make several associations with it and what it means to you. An example of this is a popular soft drink that you associate with fun with friends or summer holiday relaxation. That is the emotional impact of the branding. But it is often the logo design that makes you think of those things, once the corporate brand is established. So the two are closely interrelated, but they are still different. Logo design springs from the branding even before that is established properly, since the two must be ready at the same time.
How to get a good logo design
To get a good logo design, the designer should know all about the company, the products, the aims and goals and the mission statement of the company. Only then will they be able to come up with an appropriate design that is attention grabbing, memorable and tells the consumer about the company.
There are many great logo designs around at any given time. As soon as people see them, they know what company they represent. This is what you want your own logo to accomplish. Once it becomes well known a creative logo will always make people think about a certain company or product.