Logo design vs brand identity: which one do you need?

What a logo design gives you

A logo is the mark that identifies your business: a symbol, a word mark or a combination of both. A good logo package includes a few concepts, revisions on the chosen direction and final files in several formats, including vector files that can be resized without losing quality. Better packages add color, black and white versions and versions for small sizes such as app icons.

What a logo package usually does not include is guidance on how everything else should look. You get the mark, but your website, social posts and packaging still need decisions about colors, fonts and layout.

What a brand identity gives you

A brand identity is a visual system built around the logo. It typically includes:

• the logo and its variations
• a color palette with exact color codes
• typography choices for headings and text
• image, icon or pattern style
• sample applications, such as business cards, social templates or a web header
• a style guide explaining how to use it all

The result is consistency. When several people create materials for your business, an identity keeps them looking like they belong together.

Where a style guide fits

A brand style guide is the rulebook for the identity. It can be part of a brand identity project, or a separate service if you already have a logo and colors but nobody has written down the rules. If your materials already look inconsistent, a style guide may be the most useful next step. See our brand style guide hiring guide.

And brand strategy?

Brand strategy comes before visuals. It defines who you serve, what makes you different and how you want to sound. A designer can create a beautiful identity without a strategy, but it is easier to judge designs when you know what they need to communicate. Larger rebrands often start with strategy; small businesses can usually cover the basics in a good design brief.

How to choose

If you start with a logo, ask for vector files and color versions so a designer can extend it into a full identity later without starting over.

Files to ask for

Whichever service you choose, the files you receive decide how useful the work is later. For a logo, ask for vector files, high-resolution images with transparent backgrounds, full-color, one-color and reversed versions, and a small version for icons. For a brand identity, also ask for the exact color codes for print and screen, the font names and where to get licenses, any templates in an editable format and the style guide as a document you can share with others.

Check that you have the right to use the fonts and any illustrations included. Some fonts need a license for commercial use, and it is better to know before you print materials.

How long each one takes

A logo project is often finished within days to a couple of weeks, depending on the number of concepts and revisions. A brand identity takes longer because there are more pieces to design and approve, and the style guide comes last. Plan your launch dates with that in mind, and avoid ordering printed materials until the identity is final.

Briefing either service

For both services, explain your business, audience and where the design will be used. Share examples of brands you like and dislike. For an identity, list every place the brand appears, such as website, packaging, social media, signs or vehicles, so the designer can plan the system for real uses rather than a single presentation board.