What is brand?<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 The perceived\u00a0emotional corporate image<\/em>\u00a0as a whole. To explain this in more detail, let\u2019s start at the top \u2013 the brand. Branding<\/a>\u00a0is certainly not a light topic \u2013 whole publications &\u00a0hundreds of books<\/a>\u00a0have been written on the topic, however to put it in a nutshell you could describe a \u2018brand\u2019 as an organisation, service or product with a \u2018personality\u2019 that is shaped by the perceptions of the audience. On that note, it should also be stated that a designer cannot \u201cmake\u201d a brand \u2013 only the audience can do this.\u00a0A designer forms the foundation of the brand<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Many people believe a brand only consists of a few elements \u2013 some colours, some fonts, a logo, a slogan and maybe\u00a0 some music added in too. In reality, it is much more complicated than that. You might say that a brand is a \u2018corporate image\u2019.<\/p>\n The fundamental idea and core concept behind having a \u2018corporate image\u2019 is that everything a company does, everything it owns and everything it produces should reflect the values and aims of the business as a whole.<\/p>\n It is the consistency of this core idea that makes up the company, driving it, showing what it stands for, what it believes in and why they exist. It is not purely some colours, some typefaces, a logo and a slogan.<\/p>\n As an example, let\u2019s look at the well known IT company, Apple. Apple as a company, projects a humanistic corporate culture and a strong corporate ethic, one which is characterised by volunteerism, support of good causes & involvement in the community. These values of the business are evident throughout everything they do, from their innovative products and advertising, right through to their customer service. Apple is an emotionally humanist brand that really connects with people \u2013 when people buy or use their products or services; they feel part of the brand, like a tribe even. It is this emotional connection that creates their brand \u2013 not purely their products and a bite sized logo.<\/p>\n For a more thorough understanding of branding, in simple terms, I recommend\u00a0Wally Olin\u2019s: The Brand Handbook<\/a>\u00a0which I quote is \u201can essential, easy-reference guide to brilliant branding\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/h3>\n One major role in the \u2018brand\u2019 or \u2018corporate image\u2019 of a company is its identity.<\/p>\n In most cases, identity design is based around the\u00a0visual devices<\/strong>\u00a0used within a company, usually assembled within a set of guidelines. These guidelines that make up an identity usually administer how the identity is applied throughout a variety of mediums, using approved colour palettes, fonts, layouts, measurements and so forth. These guidelines ensure that the identity of the company is kept coherent, which in turn, allows the brand as a whole, to be recognisable.<\/p>\n The identity or \u2018image\u2019 of a company is made up of many visual devices:<\/strong><\/p>\n All of these things make up an identity and should support the brand as a whole. The logo however, is the corporate identity and brand all wrapped up into one identifiable mark. This mark is the avatar and symbol of the business as a whole. To understand what a logo is, we must first understand what it is for.<\/p>\n A logo is for\u2026\u00a0identification<\/em>.<\/p>\n A logo identifies a company or product via the use of a mark, flag, symbol or signature. A logo does not sell the company directly nor rarely does it describe a business. Logo\u2019s derive their meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolises, not the other way around \u2013 logos are there to identity, not to explain. In a nutshell, what a logo\u00a0means<\/em>\u00a0is more important than what it\u00a0looks<\/em>\u00a0like.<\/p>\n To illustrate this concept, think of logos like people. We prefer to be called by our names \u2013 James, Dorothy, John \u2013 rather than by the confusing and forgettable description of ourselves such as \u201cthe guy who always wears pink and has blonde hair\u201d. In this same way, a logo should not literally describe what the business does but rather, identify the business in a way that is recognisable and memorable.<\/p>\n It is also important to note that only after a logo becomes familiar, does it function the way it is intended to do much alike how we much must learn people\u2019s names to identify them.<\/p>\n The logo identifies a business or product in its\u00a0simplest<\/strong>\u00a0form.<\/p>\n Brand\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013The perceived\u00a0emotional corporate image<\/em>\u00a0as a whole. How would you summarise brand, identity and logo design? Comments and thoughts are welcome, as always.<\/p>\n
\nWhat is identity?<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 The\u00a0visual aspects<\/em>\u00a0that form part of the overall brand.
\nWhat is a logo?<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 A logo\u00a0identifies<\/em>\u00a0a business in its simplest form via the use of a\u00a0mark or icon<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nWhat is branding?
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"Apple](\"https:\/\/justcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/apple.jpg\" "\\"Apple\\"")
<\/p>\nWhat is identity design?<\/p>\n
![\"Coca](\"https:\/\/justcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/coca-cola.jpg\" "\\"Coca")
<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nWhat is a logo?
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"IBM](\"https:\/\/justcreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/IBM.jpg\" "\\"IBM\\"")
<\/p>\nSummary:<\/h3>\n
\nIdentity\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 The\u00a0visual aspects<\/em>\u00a0that form part of the overall brand.
\nLogo\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013\u00a0Identifies<\/em>\u00a0a business in its simplest form via the use of a\u00a0mark or icon<\/em>.<\/p>\n