Brand vs. Identity vs. Logo: What’s the Difference?

Lately, I'm finding there's a lot of confusion about a logo vs. a brand vs. identity within the design space. At Fat Basset Design, we get a lot of requests for rebrands when all that's needed is an evolved logo and new package or label design.

So to help, I’ve put together a quick guide for when your company comes to this fork in the road. By the end, my hope is that you’ll know the difference between a brand, identity, and a logo so you can effectively communicate with your marketing team and/or designer, getting the best results for your business.

A brand is the perceived emotional corporate image as a whole. A designer alone cannot rebrand your company; only the audience can do this. But how they do so is fostered through the experience you present to them, whether at a physical location, with your staff, or online.

Your identity includes the visual elements that form part of the overall brand. This can include your logo, packaging, website, signage, i.e., anything visual that represents the business.

A logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark, e.g., a swoosh, golden arches, or an apple with a bite. Logos are there to identify the brand, not explain what it does.

Let’s dig a little deeper using my friend Terry as an example.

We’ll begin with a brand.

When the usually calm, groomed, and environmentally friendly Terry comes to the party a little snippy and disheveled, tossing his trash on the floor, the first thing we say is, “What’s up with Terry?”

We say that because Terry doesn’t seem like himself. We don’t recognize Terry in the way we perceive him to be; this version doesn’t match the version we know and love. The way Terry is acting, carrying himself, and even walking is all different. Terry, as it turns out, is not on-brand. And frankly, he’s kind of being a jerk…I’m moving to the other side of the room.

Now let’s think of Terry through the lens of a couple of familiar companies. Try to think of a Kraft Mac & Cheese commercial filmed in black and white, all gritty with flashing lights and hard rock playing over it. Tough to do, right? That’s because this is not how we think of Kraft Mac & Cheese. This version is not on-brand.

Or how about an ad that takes place deep in the woods at dusk, with bearded guys in flannel sitting around a campfire wearing camo and cooking up a fresh kill? Not on-brand for Corona, right?

That’s not to say these examples can’t happen. It’s just that these examples would not meet our perceived emotional expectations for those brands. And Terry, for that matter.

Again, identity is the visual elements that form part of the overall brand. When applied to people, think of this as the clothes we wear.

When the person who always wears T-shirts and shorts to the office comes in wearing a suit, what’s the first thing you think?

“Hey Terry, got a job interview later?” (Remove foot from mouth if it turns out to be a funeral.)

Why do we say that? It’s because Terry is dressing in a way we don’t recognize as being “Terry.” Terry’s identity elements do not match the “Terry Brand.” Terry’s identity elements include T-shirts and shorts, so when he walks in wearing a suit, we’re all thinking something is off. Terry is not on-brand.

Again, what if Terry were a company? Imagine your new MacBook was presented to you in a crumpled paper bag. Assuming you didn’t buy it from a guy off Craigslist, the identity element, i.e., the bag, doesn’t match what we think of when we picture the Apple brand. This is not on-brand.

Or how about a clear plastic jar with a twist-off blue lid? Seems normal enough, unless it said Coca-Cola on the side. We think of Coca-Cola as a red can or that beautifully curved bottle. So when the identity element, i.e., what Coke is wearing, doesn’t match the Coke brand, Coke is not on-brand.

Let’s wrap it up with logos.

To reiterate, a logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark. Logos are there to identify the brand, not explain what it does.

In this case, Terry’s logo is his face; the one element that identifies him in his simplest form. Terry’s face doesn’t tell you what he does, how he walks, or what his favorite snack is; it’s there to identify Terry as Terry. No matter how Terry is acting or what he is wearing, Terry’s face will always be the one thing that will make you say, “Hey, it’s Terry!” (Unless it’s Halloween.)

Same with a business. You can put a swoosh on a motorcycle and you’ll still know it’s Nike. Throw the golden arches on a brown truck that delivers packages, and I bet you’ll think of McDonald’s. Again, a logo is used to identify, not explain.

Hopefully, this all made sense. Terry was a good sport; we put him through the wringer, but all in the name of education. And now that you understand the difference between a brand, identity, and a logo, you’ll be able to efficiently and effectively communicate with your marketing team and/or designer to get the best results for your business.