Your logo is not your brand…… but it’s still an important piece of the brand. That is to say, branding goes well beyond your logo. It is a mark of your brand, a visual representation, but the brand itself goes much deeper. Your brand is the emotional response that it creates in a person. Your brand is your voice, your mission, your values and the stronger these are the stronger of a brand you will have. In order to cultivate this emotional connection your brand needs clarity, distinction, and trustworthiness. 

Clarity in your brand’s voice means consistency. As we’ve mentioned in our last blog, being genuine is important for a brand as well as being consistent. The key to consistency is clarity. Having a clear vision as to who you are and the values that you carry are the cornerstones of building a successful brand.

Distinction or differentiation is what sets your brand apart. It’s that big question: why is this important? Unless you’re Thomas Edison inventing the lightbulb or Steve Jobs unveiling the iPhone, there’s a big chance that there’s someone else doing the same thing you’re doing. Find out what really sets you apart from your competitors. Let your brand reflect your unique offerings in order to stand out from the crowd. If your brand distinguishes itself it can create a connection with people that share similar values. Just look at the early 2000’s Mac vs. PC commercials to see how a brand can connect themselves to personality traits and in turn differentiate themselves from the competition. 

Trustworthiness can make or break a brand. This is what creates a loyal customer base that forms an emotional bond. This includes being genuine and transparent. Today’s consumers are smart and crave brand loyalty. “Walk the talk” is our motto at Oblique. Trustworthiness comes with consistency and is directly related to clarity. Being clear in your values adds consistency to your voice and reinforces a persons’ emotional connection with your brand.

With all this being said, a logo or brandmark is still an extremely important part of your brand’s identity system. It’s that first impression, ice-breaker, introduction. It’s often one of the first things a person sees in regards to your brand. A good custom logo design clearly communicates your values, distinguishes itself from the competition and instills a feeling of trust, all in less time than an elevator pitch. 

We love helping brands reach their full potential, if you feel like your company could use a refresh let’s have a chat!