Branding & Identity Resources

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Terminology

Brand

The outward perception of a product, service, experience, or organization. A brand is not a logo. A brand is not an identity. A brand is not a product. A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or organization. A brand is made up of a few key elements:

 

1. Mission: the “why?” of an organization
2. Values: the beliefs that drive an organization
3. Unique Positioning: the distinction between an organization and its competitors
4. Personality: if the organization were a person, what kind of personality would it have?
5. Brand Voice: if the organization were a person, how would it communicate?

Identity

The collection of all elements that an organization creates to portray the right image to its consumer. Brand identity is different from “brand image” and “branding,” even though these terms are sometimes treated as interchangeable. An identity is made up of a few key elements:

 

1. Brand Name: Main title of an organization and any alternates, aliases, acronyms or variations
2. Logos and Marks: Main mark of an organization and any alternates, icons, seals or variations
3. Graphic Style: Defined color palette, visual styles, image treatments, typefaces, elements, and other aesthetics
4. Top-Line Messaging: Main approved messages directly tied to the brand elements listed above. Can include mission statements, pitch phrases, tag lines and other approved terminology
5. Copy Style: The “voice” of a brand that determines the overall tone of writing
6. Web Styles: Graphic styles specific to the web and digital applications. Includes all defined templates, modules, type styles, image treatments, and rules for layout and margins across devices.

Logo

A logo is a symbol made up of text and images that identifies a business. A good logo shows what a company does and what the brand values. Often, a single organization can have multiple approved types of logos for different purposes.

Depending on the type, a logo usually consists of a symbol or brandmark and a logotype, along with a tagline. Some different types are as follows:

 

1. Monogram/Lettermark: Consist of letters, usually brand initials. (IBM, HBO, NASA, etc.)
2. Logotype/Wordmark: Font-based logo that focuses on a business’ name alone (Visa, CocaCola, Google, etc.)
3. Pictorial Marks/Symbols: An icon—or graphic-based logo. It’s probably the image that comes to mind when you think “logo” (Twitter, Target, Apple, etc.)
4. Abstract Marks/Symbols: A specific type of pictorial logo that – instead of using a recognizable image – uses an abstract geometric form to represent the organization (Nike, Pepsi, BP, etc.)
5. Mascot: Logos that involve an illustrated character. Often colorful, sometimes cartoonish, and most always fun. (KFC, Pringles, Monopoly, etc.)
6. Combination Mark: Comprised of a combined wordmark or lettermark and a pictorial mark, abstract mark, or mascot. (BurgerKing, Lacoste, GE, etc)
7. Emblem: Consists of font inside a symbol or an icon; think badges, seals and crests. (Starbucks, Harley Davidson, NFL, etc.)

Brand Message

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Editorial Style

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