A LOGO IS NOT A BRAND
28.10.09
When considering a logo, soon to be or existing, it must be understood that a logo is not a brand. A logo is just a mark or symbol, be it iconic or typographic or a combination of the both that is created with the intent of representing or embodying an ideology or a set of principles larger than the sum of its inherent parts.
A logo, poorly or well-executed can come to stand for a great many things. All of these seemingly embedded definitions or characteristics lie far beyond the logo’s built-in aesthetic nature. For a logo to take on such layered meaning it must be supported by ideas, actions, outputs and ultimately human beings. It’s at this juncture that logo and brand intersect.
A brand, in time, can come to define a logo. And, human beings, in time, can come to define a brand. A logo on its own can not define a brand. A logo can represent or identify a brand, but not define one. It’s the thoughts, actions, and output of the human beings behind a brand and thereby behind a logo that come to define a brand and ultimately imbue a logo with meaning and value.
NOTE: In the future, robots, and cyborgs, and other forms of artificial intelligence may come to define a brand, but those days are still a distant reality. In the past, half-humans like Dick Cheney have attempted to define a brand, but have failed.
Tags: cypher13
Category: Design, Inspiration
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Always fantastic – 
Damn Todd, perfect explanation of the difference… especially the “supported by ideas, actions, outputs and ultimately human beings” part. True dat.
October 28, 3:53 pm Geoff AllenKudos.
True. This is an excellent and interesting article. I thank you for sharing this.
October 30, 5:08 am Michele | Logo BrandingThanks Todd. Pretty sobering moral compass for design we should all heed. i read a quote from Ansel Adams recently “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”
November 5, 9:40 am Lawrence RamosProducts are created in factory, brands are created in minds.
November 8, 2:26 am marko miladinovic