Brand Terminology

Brand. Branding. Logo. To many people, these words are interchangeable, but there is a difference. Let’s start by defining each to help us clarify the differences.

Brand

Brand is an overuse — and often misused — business buzzword. Many confuse brand for logo (or identity), and while a logo is a key visual component of a brand, it’s not the most important one.

Simply put, your brand is how you’re perceived by others – unbiased and unvarnished. It’s an ever-changing cocktail comprised of your products (physical or otherwise), your customer service and reliability, your price structure within the marketplace, and public perception. Walter Landor once said, “A brand is a promise. By identifying and authenticating a product or service, it delivers a pledge of satisfaction and quality.”

Branding

Branding is the process of visually representing your brand. What we typically refer to as brand assets — logo, color palette, typefaces, taglines and messaging — all contribute to articulating your brand, but they aren’t magic; they can’t overcome inferior products or bad public perception.

Logo

Your logo is a cheat code; it’s how you present your brand to the public. Of course, great brands can have not-so great logos and not-so great brands can have great logos – brand value isn’t derived from a logo, and great brands are often supported by great creative execution. Storytelling can take a good brand and make it iconic.

From good to unforgettable

Take Nike: the company was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports in Eugene, Oregon, which imported and sold Japanese running shoes. In 1971, they changed their name to Nike (naming is a vital component of branding – at least as important as logo design) and began marketing shoes under their own brand name. That’s all part of history, but it’s not the whole story. The Nike myth really began in the mid-80s, with the introduction of the Air Jordan and the launch of the “Just Do it” ad initiative.

Product. Reputation. Desirability. Nike made the products and earned the reputation, but great storytelling made them desirable.

To summarize, you create your brand. We help tell your brand story.

Brand, Rebrand or Brand Refresh?

Glossary at a glance:

• Brand | What makes your company unique (good and bad); your story.
• Branding | The process of visually defining your brand.
• Rebrand | A major change in brand assets and messaging, often to reflect a major change in your business, products or services, or in public perception.
• Brand refresh | An update or refinement of your brand assets.
• Brand equity | How well your company is regarded in the marketplace.
• Brand brief | A source-of-truth document to help guide your brand journey.

Branding

Most companies start by coming up with a name and hiring an individual or firm to create a logo, at which point they scratch “branding” off the endless list of new business tasks. Many companies change their logos as they grow, but fewer change their names (which is trickier and often involves legal obstacles). That’s why it’s crucial to make naming the first step of any branding exercise.

Rebranding

Rebrands are often spurred by something significant: a new product or service. Winning a big contract that accelerates growth. A change in ownership. Taking your company public. Going through a crisis that forces you to reconsider everything. Rebrands are major, and are often the result of a major milestone.

Brand refresh

There may come a time when your brand assets don’t hold up as well as they should. Maybe the typeface in the logo you established in the 80s isn’t readable online, or the color palette that worked great back then lacks accessibility, or the symbol that seemed perfect when you were a startup lacks refinement. This is when a brand refresh might be ideal. A brand refresh may seem like a cost-effective stop-gap option or a light lift that demands less focus (the results might be so subtle that what’s new or different goes largely unnoticed), but it’s a balancing act that requires a deft touch.

Brand equity

Brand equity is the root system of brand success and there are no shortcuts. It’s a combination of your reputation, how well the public knows you, and how much they trust your company and your products. Equity takes time to establish, so whether you’re considering a brand refresh or a full rebrand, bear-in-mind how it might impact your brand equity. Will it distance you from people who are passionate about you (New Coke; Cracker Barrel), or will it help jumpstart a tired brand (Apple; Old Spice).

Brand brief

Approach any branding project with excitement and respect in equal measures. Consider the who, what and how at the outset: who you are, what you hope to accomplish, and how to make it happen. Draft (or consult branding experts to draft) a brand brief that documents obstacles and goals, and use it as a roadmap to keep you on the right path. If you have a well-rounded, articulate brand brief, you’ll end up with durable, resonant brand assets.