There’s more to visual identity than a logo

Our relationships with brands in the world seem to involve more kinds of verbal and visual language than ever before. And so much of what we see of a brand gets stripped down to the basics on small screens or brief flashes of content. In situations like those, a logo is a blunt tool, but phrasing and typography are the precision instruments.

When I see the release of a new logo design, I’m curious to know if a single, static image is how we’re supposed to recognise a brand anymore. The trade dress of a brand today is so much more dynamic than in years past. In addition to typography and colour, there is substantial use of animation and content and interaction.

Daniel Rhatigan, type director, Monotype

 

Whilst ‘What’s in a Logo?’ touched on the importance of wider business transformation beyond a logo redesign, it still shocks me that some marketers still fail to understand the true meaning of a brand, and where a logo fits within this. Is the market still so far from maturity?

A brand is far deeper than anything cosmetic; successfully engaging today’s consumers means investment in each touchpoint, building the brand from the inside out and ensuring those involved in the experience understand its purpose and believe in imparting it to the consumer.

Yes, creating an attractive logo is part of the experience, but if investment isn’t made on getting the rest right, it will ultimately be to the detriment of the brand overall. Investing on the outside, but leaving the inside fragmented, is nothing more than putting lipstick on a pig, which won’t deliver strong financial returns.

Robbie Laughton, creative director, Calling Brands

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