Brand identity vs logo: what's the difference?

A logo is a mark. A brand identity is everything that makes your business recognisable: the logo, the colours, the type, the way you write, the pictures you use and how all of it fits together. A logo is a part of an identity, like a face is part of a person.

What a logo is

A logo is the symbol or wordmark that stands for your business. It should be simple, readable at small sizes and able to work in one colour.

What a brand identity includes

• Logo and its variations (full, short, icon, one-colour).
• Colour palette, with exact values for print and screen.
• Typography: which fonts, for headings and for text.
• Imagery and graphic style: photography, illustration, patterns, icons.
• Tone of voice: how the brand speaks, with words it uses and avoids.
• Layout rules: spacing, grids and how things are arranged.
• Applications: packaging, social posts, website, stationery, signage.
• Guidelines: a short document that keeps everyone consistent.

Why a logo alone is not enough

Imagine ten different people making your posts, labels and ads, each with only a logo to go on. The result looks like ten different brands. An identity gives them rules, so a post, a box and a banner look like they come from the same place.

A real example

When we worked on the Korfball Premier League, the name and logo were only the start. The identity had to work on a website, a city-by-city reveal, jerseys and match-week posts. The same look carried through all of it, which is what lets people recognise a new league quickly.

Do you need a full identity?

• Starting out with one product and tight budget: begin with a good logo, colours and fonts, then grow the system.
• Selling on social media, in packaging or through several people: you need an identity.
• A league, a team or a franchise: you need an identity from day one.

See what our branding service covers, and how logos are priced in logo design cost in India.