A logo is a single mark that identifies a business. A brand identity is the whole system around it: the logo, colour, typography, imagery, layouts and the rules for using them together.
The logo makes you recognisable. The identity makes you consistent. A business can start with only a logo, but sooner or later it needs the system, because that is what keeps a brochure, a sign, a product label and a website looking like they belong to the same business.
What a logo is
A logo is the mark people use to recognise you. It usually takes one of three forms:
- a wordmark, which is the name set in a distinctive typeface
- a symbol, which is an icon or shape with or without the name
- a combination of the two
A good logo is simple enough to read at a small size, distinct enough to be remembered and flexible enough to work on light and dark backgrounds. It does one job well: it says “this is us.”
What a brand identity is
A brand identity is everything you design and control about how the brand looks and is presented. It usually includes:
- the logo and its versions
- a colour palette
- typography
- graphic elements and imagery style
- layouts for print and digital
- usage rules, often collected in a brand guideline document
The logo is one part of that list. The rest is what turns a mark into something a team can use across dozens of pieces without improvising.
Logo vs brand identity at a glance
| Logo | Brand identity | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A single mark | The system around the mark |
| What it covers | The symbol or wordmark and its versions | Logo, colour, typography, imagery, layouts, rules |
| What it gives you | Recognition | Recognition and consistency |
| What you receive | Logo files | Logo files, palette, fonts, guidelines, often applications |
| Who it helps | Anyone who needs to see the name | Everyone who makes or uses the brand: staff, printers, developers |
Brand, brand identity and branding
These three words are often mixed up, so it helps to separate them:
- The brand is the perception people hold of your business: what they think and feel when they hear your name.
- The brand identity is the part of that you design: how the brand looks and is presented.
- Branding is the work of building and applying the identity over time.
You cannot design a perception, but you can design the things that shape it. That is what the identity is for.
When a logo is enough
Sometimes a logo really is all you need:
- you are testing an idea and not ready to invest in a full system
- you only have a few places to use it, such as a profile picture and a document header
- one person makes everything, so consistency is easy to keep by hand
In our own work, some projects are exactly that. The work for EduPro was a logo and wordmark. Sidonian was a single mark with light, violet and blue versions. Both were delivered as marks with the versions they needed.
When you need a brand identity
You are likely to need the full identity when:
- more than one person makes materials for the business
- you use print, a website, social media and perhaps packaging or signs
- you work with printers, developers or freelancers who need clear files and rules
- your materials look different from each other
- you are about to launch, expand or change what you offer
The work for Julia Simpson is an example of the full approach: two marks, colourways for light and dark backgrounds, a palette sheet and a typography sheet, so the identity can be applied the same way every time.
What happens if you only have a logo
A logo on its own works until the business grows. Then the same things happen in most businesses:
- every new brochure uses a slightly different shade of the brand colour
- the website uses one typeface and the printed pieces use another
- nobody knows how small the logo can go or what it can sit on
- each supplier makes their own choices
None of this is anyone’s fault. It happens when there are no rules. An identity is the set of rules that stops it.
How the logo and the identity are designed together
The best results come when the logo and the system are designed together, not one after the other. The idea behind the mark decides the colour, the type and the shapes that sit around it. For example, the mark for Point comes in four colour versions and is applied across business cards and a letterhead, so it works as part of a set rather than as a lone file.
If you want to see what a complete set includes, read what a brand identity package should include.
Frequently asked questions
Is a logo part of a brand identity?
Yes. The logo is one part of a brand identity, alongside colour, typography, imagery, layouts and usage rules. The identity is the system, and the logo is its most recognisable piece.
What comes first, the logo or the brand identity?
They are best designed together. The idea behind the identity shapes the logo, and the logo is one of its outcomes. If you already have a logo, an identity can be built around it, though it may need adjusting so it works with the rest of the system.
Can I get just a logo without a full brand identity?
Yes. Many projects are a logo only, and that is a valid scope. Just make sure you receive the versions and file formats you need, and be aware that you will need to decide colours and fonts for everything else yourself.
What is the difference between a brand and a brand identity?
A brand is the perception people hold of your business. A brand identity is the designed part of it: the visual and verbal elements you control, such as the logo, colour, typography and tone. The identity helps shape the brand but does not replace the experience people have with your business.
What are the main elements of a brand identity?
The usual elements are the logo suite, colour palette, typography, imagery and graphic style, layouts and usage rules, often collected in a brand guideline document. Some identities also include tone of voice.
Do small businesses need a full brand identity?
Not always on day one. A logo and a simple palette and font choice can be enough to start. As soon as several people, suppliers or channels use the brand, a short set of guidelines saves time and keeps the business looking consistent.
Next step
If you are deciding between a logo and a full identity, see brand identity design or tell us what you are building and we will recommend what the project needs.