Branding, Identity & Logo Design Explained

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A logo is not your brand, nor is it your identity. Logo design, identity design and branding all have different roles, that together, form a perceived image for a business or product.

There has been some recent discussion on the web about this topic, about your logo not being your brand. Although this may be true, I haven’t seen any clarification of the differences between ‘brand’, ‘identity’ and ‘logo’. I wish to rectify this.

What is brand? – The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
What is identity? – The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.
What is a logo? – A logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of amark or icon.

To explain this in more detail, let’s start at the top – the brand.

What is branding?

Branding is certainly not a light topic – whole publications & hundreds of books have been written on the topic, however to put it in a nutshell you could describe a ‘brand’ as an organisation, service or product with a ‘personality’ that is shaped by the perceptions of the audience. On that note, it should also be stated that a designer cannot “make” a brand – only the audience can do this. A designer forms the foundation of the brand.

Many people believe a brand only consists of a few elements – some colours, some fonts, a logo, a slogan and maybe  some music added in too. In reality, it is much more complicated than that. You might say that a brand is a ‘corporate image’.

The fundamental idea and core concept behind having a ‘corporate image’ 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.

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.

As an example, let’s 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 – 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 – not purely their products and a bite sized logo.

For a more thorough understanding of branding, in simple terms, I recommend Wally Olin’s: The Brand Handbook which I quote is “an essential, easy-reference guide to brilliant branding”.

What is identity design?

One major role in the ‘brand’ or ‘corporate image’ of a company is its identity.

In most cases, identity design is based around the visual devices used 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.

The identity or ‘image’ of a company is made up of many visual devices:

• A Logo (The symbol of the entire identity & brand)
• Stationery (Letterhead + business card + envelopes, etc.)
• Marketing Collateral (Flyers, brochures, books, websites, etc.)
• Products & Packaging (Products sold and the packaging in which they come in)
• Apparel Design (Tangible clothing items that are worn by employees)
• Signage (Interior & exterior design)
• Messages & Actions (Messages conveyed via indirect or direct modes of communication)
• Other Communication (Audio, smell, touch, etc.)
• Anything visual that represents the business.

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.

What is a logo?

To understand what a logo is, we must first understand what it is for.

A logo is for… identification.

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’s derive their meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolises, not the other way around – logos are there to identity, not to explain. In a nutshell, what a logo means is more important than what it looks like.

To illustrate this concept, think of logos like people. We prefer to be called by our names – James, Dorothy, John – rather than by the confusing and forgettable description of ourselves such as “the guy who always wears pink and has blonde hair”. 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.

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’s names to identify them.

The logo identifies a business or product in its simplest form.

Summary:

Brand –The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
Identity – The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.
Logo – Identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon.

How would you summarise brand, identity and logo design? Comments and thoughts are welcome, as always.

Logo Design Resources:

• What makes a good logo?
• How to design a logo – 5 vital tips
• Ultimate list of logo design resources
• How to choose a logo designer

Photos by Taylorkoa22, Ronaldo F Cabuhat, Bloomberg News

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Team Development and Coaching

Turn up the volume on team trust, open communication, and high performance

All teams start out with the purpose of achieving project goals – on time, on budget and with quality. But all too often, the team starts to struggle to meet targets and timelines, even though everyone on the team is smart, capable and experienced. Despite the best intentions of individual team members, deadlines start to slip, communication deteriorates and the costs start to mount. Sound familiar?

Having the tools and expertise is not enough to achieve results. Teams need more. Team development and coaching brings out the high-performance potential in your team.Team coaching is more than a team building event. It is a methodology that provides a new mindset for creating a sustainable, high performing team. Coaching provides teams with the essential tools they need for success:

• Collaborate effectively: Open lines of communication, enhance commitment to team goals, and develop structures to support constructive interaction.
• Leverage skills and experience: Take advantage of the diversity of expertise and wisdom on the team, harness conflict and turn it into opportunity, and enhance the natural strengths everyone brings to the team.
• Set goals and effectively utilize resources no matter what: All teams face “white-water.” Learn to manage in uncertainty and ambiguity by retaining the essential, and jettisoning the unnecessary; foster adaptation to create sustainable change.

Here’s how it works:

It takes time to build a great team – a team that has all the skills and tools needed for real success. We work with your team over 6 – 12 months, starting with an assessment of how the team is functioning. The team uses this profile to build awareness of their strengths and opportunities, setting the stage for change and accountability. We measure the results along the way so you can see how much progress you’ve made. Most teams get at least a 20% boost in productivity, and improve their engagement and positivity by 25%. These are results that stick. Because these results are developed over time, true learning and real change happens.

Enable your teams to leverage their strengths to meet project goals … with team coaching. Get in touch today to learn more about creating great teams that get results.

Ready to learn more about team coaching?
Contact us to set up a no-fee consultation.

Building high performance teams (PDF)

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Why Sutherland Consulting?

Karole’s extremely insightful work with our team has helped us really excel this year. We’ve learned to communicate so much better and we appreciate the differences each person brings to the team. We really are a team now and we couldn’t have done it without Karole’s support.

Chris, Business Development Manager, North Carolina

LEADERSHIP MATTERS BLOG

Build better productivity skills – for you and your team

July 2, 2013

The price tag for information overload in the US is estimated to be about $900 billion annually. That’s the cost of lost productivity because we are responding to emails, looking for information we’ve misplaced or trying to make sense of the barrage of information that streams at us constantly. Not to mention the meetings, phone [...]

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Leadership Development and Coaching

Expand your capacity to lead others

• Would you like more support and resources to help you become a stronger, more effective leader?
• Are you getting the feedback and encouragement you need to develop your leadership strength?
• Would you like to play a bigger game at work but just need some support to help you reach your potential?
• Are you working on a stretch project – a bit more than you bargained for? Would you like the guidance of someone who can make sure you’re on the right path to success?
• Would you like to inspire and motivate, but aren’t sure how to balance that with th eneed to meet your targets? After all, you do need to get results!

Our Unique Approach to Leadership Development and Coaching

Enhance your effectiveness as a leader

At Sutherland Consulting, we work with people who are new to leadership, as well as experienced executives who want to take their skills to the next level. Our leadership development focuses on building skills and addressing issues identified as vital to achieving business results. We enable you to enhance your effectiveness as a leader, to communicate powerfully and confidently, and to increase your contribution to the organization.

Improved relationships, teamwork, job satisfaction, and productivity are the most common benefits reported by our clients and their organizations.

Have you ever had a leader you truly respected? What qualities did they have? Fairness, inspiring communication skills, integrity and a strong belief in you? Were they calm, steadfast, smart, motivational? Did they excel in setting strategy, creating a vision, and ensuring effective execution?

Benefits of Coaching

You can learn to be that well-respected leader by maximizing your own strengths. We start with an assessment of your current capabilities and create a customized development plan, including leadership coaching, to bring out the best in you so you can bring out the best in others.

Ready to transform, learn or grow your leadership abilities?
Contact us to set up a no-fee consultation.

Why is coaching so effective? (PDF)

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The Coaching Process

We start by understanding you and the expectations for your leadership. This can include 360-degree surveys, strengths assessments and personality profiles – it’s all about determining what’s right for you! We create a development plan that helps you build the behaviours, skills, and aptitudes needed for success. Coaching ensures you get the support you need to implement your development plan.

Coaching takes place in a series of meetings, in person or over the telephone. During each coaching session, we focus on a specific issue or goal to generate insights, gain clarity, and increase your understanding. Together, we create a specific action plan for improving performance. You get support every step of the way as as well actionable insight, realistic action plans and follow-up for accountability!

Why Sutherland Consulting?

I’m a better communicator, more confident in challenging situations with staff, clients and investors. But most importantly, I’m a more effective leader. I’ve learned to consider the needs and perspectives of my staff, to involve them in decisions and to be really clear about expectations. I’m leading from my values and the difference is extraordinary.

Alex, Software CEO, Vancouver, BC

LEADERSHIP MATTERS BLOG

Build better productivity skills – for you and your team

July 2, 2013

The price tag for information overload in the US is estimated to be about $900 billion annually. That’s the cost of lost productivity because we are responding to emails, looking for information we’ve misplaced or trying to make sense of the barrage of information that streams at us constantly. Not to mention the meetings, phone [...]

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Court bans tolls collection on Lekki-Ikoyi bridge
4 hours ago

A Federal High Court, Lagos has barred the Lagos State Government from further collecting of tolls from users of the Lekki-Ikoyi Suspension Bridge.

Justice Saliu Saidu, in a judgment on Thursday declared that since the bridge was built by public funds, imposition of tolls on motorists using it was illegal.

The court held that the power of control of all navigable waterways in Nigeria, resides with the federal government.

The court held that since it was public funds that was used for building the bridge there was no basis for the public-private partnership arrangement which was adduced as the justification for toll collection on the bridge.

The suit was instituted by a civil rights lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, against the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Inland Waterways Authority, the Lagos State Government and the state Attorney-General.

Adegboruwa had urged the court to determine whether the imposition of tolls on the users of the bridge and residents of Lekki Scheme 1, Ikoyi, Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki and Epe communities, did not amount to a violation of their rights.

OPINION: My First Failed Business Is My Badge Of Honour

It took me a long time to talk about why my first business failed, says Faisal Butt. But analysing why it didn't work is important.

TAGGED:
Venture capital, Strategy, Technology, Faisal Butt, Leadership
In some ways your first business is like your first girlfriend – and your first business failure is a lot like your first breakup. It leaves a permanent imprint and teaches you some deeply rooted life lessons. My experience with my first business had such a lasting impact on me that – until recently – I found it difficult to reminisce and talk about it. Setting up my own business at only 25 was a risk, and even though it eventually ended in failure, the experience has left me with valuable battle scars and intrinsic commercial savvy that help me navigate through the business world today.

My first breakup

I was stuck in the most uninspiring job and didn’t feel like I was tackling any big ‘world’ problems. I felt – as an inherent entrepreneur and ‘change-maker’ – that I had to do something more impactful. As someone who grew up on three different continents, I came up with an idea that married my tech passion with my internationalism. My business, which I called Tribal Monsoon to imply the change I was about to bring about, would help stimulate export trade in developing countries – through a cross-border e-commerce platform – connecting cottage industries in south Asia with global markets.

This was back in the days of Web 1.0 and around the time that eBay, Amazon, and Alibaba really started to take off. The business could have been huge, but unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way. There were a lot of big challenges that made it difficult to create a profitable business, but what I did get was a lot of acclaim for trying to tackle a big social problem through technology. I employed hundreds of artisans to meet high-volume international orders and won awards for entrepreneurship, which ultimately led me down my current path as a venture capitalist in London.

Lesson one: assess the scale of the opportunity

Before you set up your business, look at the size of the market and assess the direction it’s heading in. Look at the last five years of accounts for the top 10 businesses in your sector.


A simple check of how turnover and profit has changed over that period will help you to see whether it’s a growing market and how big the margins are. My strategy professor at Oxford called it the ‘Fat Rabbit’ approach. You need to look for a lucrative market where the margins are fat. Just by being in that market, you’ve already secured one of the key components of growth and success. I recently looked at a business which seemed interesting on the surface, but when I looked at its competitors, I quickly discovered that only one had revenues in excess of £10m and there was a reason for it.

This is definitely an area where I went wrong. I went into an industry which had some inherent challenges – quality control and logistics being the main ones. I failed to anticipate how challenging it would be to safely transport delicate handmade products from one part of the world to another. A proper due diligence exercise would have exposed this as a major business risk that eroded margins.

Lesson two: start with a partner

You need to start with a partner. I was running Tribal Monsoon on my own for four years. I didn’t have a sounding board, a mentor, or anyone to share my fears or excitement with. There was no one I could call on the weekend to bounce around ideas with. There’s a really strong emotional and psychological dynamic that a team of two can bring and that was an impediment to my growth. There was no one to challenge me or tell me where I might be going wrong and in the end that impacted the business.

Lesson three: hire ‘rock stars’

The team I put together was not as experienced or knowledgeable as me. No one inspired or challenged me. They were ‘worker bees’ who weren’t thinking, just doing. I was responsible for all of the strategic thinking, commercial decision-making, and business-building. I didn’t have anyone to contribute and ‘rain make’ with me. If you’re going to build a superstar company, hire ‘rock stars’ – A-team players only. There is a saying in Silicon Valley that A-players go on to hire A-players, but B-players hire other B-players or even C-players because they are afraid of being shown up. The calibre of your team begins to weaken if you don’t start with the best building blocks.

Lesson four: minimise client concentration risk

It sounds obvious, but is a common mistake: you should never allow too much of your revenue to come from one or a concentrated group of clients. I made that mistake. I thought I had a diversified business with retail and wholesale clients from around the world, but 80 percent of my revenue was actually coming through one company. When that company ran into tough times in 2008 a lot of my turnover vanished. I hadn’t taken the time to build a diversified pipeline of clients and that hit the company hard. Today, I repeatedly ask my fellow founders how concentrated their pipeline is and remind them not to put all of their eggs in one basket. If you are looking to build capital value into your business ahead of a future exit, any investor is going to discount the value of your business if the client concentration risk is high.

Lesson five: keep tech in-house

Most businesses these days rely on technology. That function needs to be a core part of your business and kept in-house. Your CTO needs to be involved in commercial decision-making and be a key person in your C-Suite if the business is going to have the agility to evolve rapidly. At Tribal Monsoon, I outsourced my tech team and they weren’t able to deliver quickly enough. They have a saying in Silicon Valley that you should ‘just keep shipping’. It refers to the functionality of your technology and means you should keep offering your customers something new to improve their online customer experience. We were shipping products but we weren’t shipping software. As more players entered the market, we started to fall behind. Regardless of your sector, I think the ‘just keep shipping’ mantra holds true.

Final word

These five ‘golden rules’ apply to every business and have been instrumental to my success as a venture capitalist. To me, my first business failure has very much become my badge of honour. I can’t think of any successful entrepreneur who hasn’t got to where they are without failing at one time or another. Being an entrepreneur is about overcoming the fear of failure and turning failure into opportunity. When caught in the immersing winds of your own ‘tribal monsoon’, remember that those rough times in business really are like seasonal storms. If you pull the right strings and orchestrate your own rebirth, the blossoming of spring will be just around the corner.

Knowledge best retained when it is shared because no man is an Island. Knowledge is power!

The idea behind the scene of Technology world is an ideal for every start-up and existing entrepreneur.