In the sparkling marketplace of today's global economy, where competition is high-level and consumer attention is concise, the power of branding has never been more significant. Across the spectrum of brand identity, two key visual elements play pivotal roles: nowadays, consumers are increasingly conscious of brand marks and logos. Such components, which are generally used one after another but may have slight distinctions, represent a brand's visual identity and embody its stand, values, and products in the world community.
What is a Brand Mark?
A brand mark is a specific symbol based on a logo representing the brand. It refers to the visual component unrelated to the name or phrase. People can instantly recognize these brands with the Nike swoosh or Apple logo. Brand marks are meant to be very impactful and catchy; they visually present the brand's character, identity, and products/services.
What is a Logo?
A logo is a graphic format of a brand name, trademark, or symbol. Text, graphical images, or other blended formats can represent it. Logo and brand mark are sometimes used interchangeably, but traditionally, a logo contains text and a graphic, while a brand mark is only a logo that doesn't have text. Logos identify elements of a brand on its products, marketing materials, website, and many other brand assets.
Why Do Brands Use Symbols?
Easy to Spot
Brandmarks are the lighthouses of that sea of brands and products around. Remember an example of the logo, which was very bright and eye-catching on a shelf with similar items. It is like a friend waving at you in a crowd and directing you to the one thing you're searching for, even in a hurry.
Easy to Remember
Have you ever bumped into a logo design that keeps ringing a bell in your mind? Perhaps it is the swoosh of a well-branded sports company or the golden arches of a popular fast food chain. These symbols connect with our minds and become recognizable moments every time we think of the brand.
Understandable Everywhere
Brandmarks are the universal language. They do not depend on the words or language hurdles to communicate. The message remains the same regardless of which city symbol you choose, whether New York City or Tokyo. It is a visual cue that is being understood by everyone over the globe and doesn't need to be translated into any other language.
Shows What the Brand Is All About.
Brandmarks are symbols that give a little story of brand identity. They represent the organization's culture, beliefs, and sense of purpose in a graphic composition. For instance, the green logo represents ecological awareness, and the minimalist and modern design depicts innovativeness.
Makes Brands Different
When you are alone in a packed marketplace, standing out is one of the things that need to be prioritized. Symbols provide the brand with an exclusive image, which makes it different from competitors. Just as there are no two people who have similar fingerprints, there are no two logos that look the same. It is what makes the brands unique and stand out from their competitors.
Keeps Things as It Is
Consistency is the basic guide in branding. How about if the soda brand that you love the most decided to come up with different logos all the time- that would confuse you so much! Symbols create some sort of stability and familiarity that you will end up associating with the brand, and there is no change whenever the brand is encountered at any point.
Stay Forever
Some symbols are proclaimed to prevail in the competition of time, developing together with the brands that they symbolize. The Coca-Cola logo has experienced gradual but important changes over time while considering the core principles of the brand. They become constants that acquire meaning over time, or they gradually entwine themselves in the life of our cultural landscape and make a lasting establishment.
What is the difference between a logo and a brand mark?
In the world of branding, two terms often come up: logo and trademark of brands. In what appear to be almost the same things, they serve for two different reasons and have exclusive features. Now, let's analyze the differences to help you grasp these terms more easily.
Understanding the Differences:
Brand marks and logos may seem the same, but they are distinguished by the differences in their areas of focus, compositions, and usage. Brand marks have only visual replication, while logos tie up visual and textual components. Brands have a more streamlined and elastic mark, and a logo offers room for flexibility and design creativity.
BrandMark and Logo Examples:
- Twitter Brandmark and Logo:
- Amazon Brandmark and Logo:
- Facebook Brandmark and Logo:
- Apple Brandmark and Logo:
How to Make a Brand Mark:
Creativity, strategic thinking, and design competence are required to create a brand mark. Here are the steps to consider when making a brand mark: Here are the steps to consider when making a brand mark:
Understand the Brand:
Understand the corporate values, target market, and other brands competing in the same market niche.
Research and Inspiration:
Go through investigations on industry trends, visual aesthetics, and competitor branding to get juries up to date on ideas and learn new things.
Concept Development:
Develop several design variants that will illustrate the brand image and, at the same time, appeal to its target audience.
Sketching and Iteration:
Trial various forms of symbols and visual elements using drawing and then amp the best scheme through iterative designing.
Typography (if applicable):
The brand mark is to be designed to include text. Types and fonts must be carefully selected and customized for the overall design to announce the brand message.
Color Palette:
Choose the color combination that aligns with the brand identity and produces an appropriate mood for consumers.
Simplicity and Versatility:
Shoot for simplicity and flexibility in your design concept to make the brand marketing different platforms scalable and adaptable to variations.
Feedback and Refinement:
Get input from stakeholders and audience members you consider your target audience and provide constructive input to improve the design to the top level.
Finalization:
Once the design is complete, create a brand mark for implementation across the selected channels and assets.
Trademark Protection:
The critical step is trademarking the brand mark to prevent disputes and unserviceable use.
Tips for creating a Brand Mark
- Being creative with negative space lets you give the design a deeper and more mysterious look.
- Spice up the brand canvas with a story-triggering element to hype the audience.
- Consider using design elements such as movement or dynamic look to make the design come alive and leave a great impression.
- I use texture and depth to make the image attractive by adding dimensionality.
- Create safeguards that aspire the visual marking notion to the core and attribute of the brand.
- Incorporating multi-sensory elements will contribute much to creating a more immersive brand experience, which consumers will much appreciate.
- Check the emotional reaction of the target audiences motivated by the brandmark to see if it resonates with them.
- Be willing to change as the brand also keeps evolving to keep the mark of the brand relevant.
- The design should reflect the brand's spirit with a simple touch to create an easy-to-grasp yet meaningful design.
- Give preferable choices to all your potential audiences so that they can easily perceive your brand symbol.
