*Spoiler alert* No, a brand really isn’t just a logo. Brand and logo are terms often entwined with the assumption that they mean the same thing, but the actuality is a logo is merely an asset of your brand. Let’s break down the differences and why you should never focus purely on just iconography within your brand strategy.
The power of a logo
We don’t know about you, but even reading “the power of a logo” conjures up the imagery of some iconic brands – and that’s really a logo’s power in a nutshell. It’s an icon, a symbol that burns in our memory, so that when we see it, we immediately recognise the brand’s products and marketing activities.
To illustrate the true power of a logo, a study placed children into an MRI scanner to measure their brain activity when shown visuals of food brands vs non-food brands. The study found the children had increased activity in regions of the brain that are associated with motivation. Considering motivation is a key driver in purchase intention, a memorable and distinctive logo can significantly increase brand reputation and sales.
So that’s it, job done right? Well no, because a logo is only as good as the brand built around it. Think of a logo as a piece of art, it’s open to interpretation and even iconic logos aren’t immune to this.
Testing the power of a logo
Let’s put it to the test, what does the below logo make you think of?
For many, there’s no logo more iconic than McDonald’s and their golden arches. This logo conjures up warm fuzzy feelings of family get togethers, great food, collecting Happy Meal toys, Ronald McDonald and least we forget, the classic McDonald’s birthday parties.
But perhaps you’re looking at this and thinking something entirely different. To you, it may be instantly instilling negative connotations of their various controversies, the health concerns of their food and the environmental concerns over some of their practices.
Here’s another logo that has stood the test of time. What does this one make you think of?
Perhaps it instills in you aspiration, athleticism or Michael Jordon? Or perhaps it’s making you think of the 50 years of controversy the brand has faced for its labour practices, including sweatshops and child labour?
Both logos are equally prolific in their own right, but can be associated with very different connotations. So where does that leave you? It leaves you with the need to build a brand strategy.
Your logos backbone – your brand
So here’s the deal, we recognise both logos referenced above, but the difference is that some will happily buy a McDonald’s hamburger, but will never buy a pair of Nike shoes (there’s people in our office that are the exact opposite). For some consumers, they trust McDonald’s, their meals hold nostalgia, and a source of happiness – or in some cases, simple convenience. We’re all aware of the controversies surrounding the brand but when hunger strikes or you fancy some fast food, your mind always outweighs the negative points. Nike on the other hand, some may never trust due to their known labour practises. Brand trust is crucial in purchase intention and a recent Edelman report showed that 67% agree that trusting a company creates repeat buying.
The key to building trust is consistency
Consistency is the cornerstone of building trust. A brand that is consistent in it’s approach to its activities and messaging, fosters trust through familiarity and reliability. Familiarity generates customer confidence in choosing you over competitors.
Here at Kensa we can develop a brand strategy that will ensure your brand’s consistent. Our creatives are here to take a deep dive into your organisation to understand what it represents. Once we build a confident understanding, we’ll develop a creative concept to represent your brand, a tone of voice and brand guidelines to ensure consistency post go-live. What we develop can be channelled into support for your website, social media, print, digital marketing outreach – you name it. We can also advise on overall brand strategy to help you increase exposure. Don’t take our word for it, check out our achievement branding start-up business, Mister Cheese.
Ready to get started?
If you’re ready to evolve your logo and build a brand or you’re looking for a complete refresh in your brand strategy, get in touch with us. We’re ready to start when you are!
