Why is branding so misunderstood?
A lot of the confusion stems from the loose and inconsistent use of the term “brand”. Both clients and agencies are to be blamed. Clients want shiny logos and agencies don’t want to educate their clients.
Let it be clear, branding isn’t just your logo. You cannot develop a logo or brand identity without developing your brand strategy. A brand strategy encompasses the purpose, the challenges you solve for your TA, a clear positioning, and a brand pyramid. All these combined help to create an identity. It will help to establish how to communicate your brand’s essence.
Once the brand strategy has been developed, only then you can start to work on your brand identity. A brand identity is the visual and verbal expression of your brand. It consists of these components.
- Brand Name
- Logo
- Tagline (reflect your brand positioning)
- Brand system
- Color palette
- Typography
- Graphical elements
- Visual language
- Sonic branding
Brand identity supports the brand strategy and provides visual cues that convey what the brand stands for. A solid brand strategy and identity will help to keep your brand consistent. It will help to express positive qualities about your brand across different mediums, which can be psychologically persuasive and help to establish credibility.
So, agencies. Next time a client comes to you and says, “I want a logo”, build their brand strategy first. And clients, next time you go to an agency tell them you want to build a brand, not just a logo.
Sameer Abdur Rehman
CEO | XPLORE