What is the difference between a logo and a brand?

What is the difference between a logo and a brand?

Our clients come to us at Toast asking us to design their logo or brand but what is the difference?

Logo

A logo is a symbol or mark which helps identify a brand, like a human face. There are many different styles of logos, some have icons as part of their designs whilst others can just be type based. This can then be used on a range of different materials including stationery, uniforms, websites and apps.   

Brand

A brand includes a logo, however, this is more about the company’s personality as a whole and how this is shown throughout different materials. Take Adidas for instance. Their logo is the three stripes with their company name underneath. Their brand is much more than this with the three stripes forming part of a brand style which is used as a graphic device across football shirts, trainers, packaging, in-store graphics, television adverts and billboards to name a few examples. Toast can produce brand style guides which outline how a brand should be used. This can include:

  • The brand colour palette for use in print and on-screen. For each colour CMYK, RGB, HEX and Pantone colours can be referenced
  • Fonts that should be used for print and on-screen. This includes fonts for headings, subtitles and body copy
  • Different formats the logo can be used in i.e. with and without a strapline
  • The minimum size the logo can be used and how much blank space to leave around it when in use.
  • Things not to do to the logo i.e. stretch or change the colour of it
  • How graphic elements should be used for example the three Adidas stripes
  • How other brand elements should be used i.e. icons, illustration and photography
  • Design examples of how leaflets, brochures and websites should look. This is generally for more established brands and wouldn’t be included in a basic style guide.

Looking for something different?

If you found this helpful you might be looking for a new agency that likes to support its clients. We have created a service specifically for clients looking for quick turn-around, high volume and no-nonsense design service, we call it Toast Design Services. Check out our new Graphic Design Subscription Packages, tailored to their ongoing needs.

David Foreman

David Foreman

Dave is the MD at Toast and has been working on branding, creative and web development projects for over 25 years. He's a founding member of Toast and enjoys a good rant.

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