When people think of branding, they often think of a logo or a mark. Maybe they think of cows being marked with a hot iron for identification. While it is easy to understand why people would think this, a brand is not your logo. It is, however, an essential part of your overall brand strategy.
A brand is not your logo
Who you are, what you want to be and how you want to be perceived is your brand. It conveys emotions about your company as well as its products or services. Successful brands differentiate themselves from one another. They demonstrate value. The last thing a company wants is to be confused with its competitors or lumped in with the crowd. That’s why billions of dollars are spent on building and market brands.
However before one single dollar is spent on a fancy web site or massive ad buys, a great logo must be designed. A great logo is more than picking a font or choosing a color because its “pretty” and any designer worth their weight knows this. A professional logo designer will look at your overall strategy and illustrate it using color, fonts and/or icons. They will understand the meaning behind the colors they chose and know how to communicate emotion through design.
Great logos are easily read, distinctive and can be used in variety of ways. Is the logo difficult to read when it is small? Is it easy to read when you see it on a sign while driving past it on a busy road? Does the color or symbol have any negative connotations? These are all things to consider when having a logo created.
While some individuals assume that anyone who knows how to use Adobe Illustrator can create a logo, this is far from the truth. It’s like saying I know how to use pruning sheers, so that makes me an arborist. There is a certain level of knowledge and skill required for both so it pays to ask around. Ask companies that you admire who they used as their logo designer and look at their portfolio.
If you’re interested in having a logo designed or redesigned, give Tiny Stars Creative a call at 425.243.4176. We can show you some of the logos we created as well as discuss our approach.