Thinking Beyond Your Logo
The In Pursuit of Branding Newsletter #30
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Photo by Theme Photos on Unsplash
"I don't need branding help—I already love my logo!"
"My logo needs to communicate everything because it is my brand."
Some version of these two misconceptions are the most common and most detrimental to businesses that want to build a strong, connection-focused brand.
What is often forgotten is that while having a great logo is important, it's just one piece of a much larger brand puzzle.
Remember, around here your brand is the vehicle for building a specific connection, with a specific target audience, through a specific message.
So where does your logo fit into this bigger picture?
Think of your brand as a book and your logo as its cover. While an eye-catching cover might convince someone to pick up a book, it's the content inside—the writing style, characters, themes, and overall experience—that keeps them reading and leaves a lasting impression.
The same holds true for your brand. Your logo might attract initial attention, but it's your complete brand experience that builds lasting relationships and genuine connection with your audience.
A strong logo, like a well-designed book cover, can certainly make a powerful first impression. But the most beautiful cover in the world won't make up for a shitty story inside, just as the most stunning logo can't compensate for an inconsistent or underwhelming brand experience.
What a logo's job actually is... and is not.
Your logo's job is pretty straightforward: it's your brand's conversation starter. Think of it as your business's opening line at a networking event. It should be memorable and intriguing, but it's not responsible for carrying the entire conversation.
The intended purpose of your logo:
Gets people to notice you
Makes you recognizable in a crowd
Gives a hint of your personality
Makes people curious to learn more
What's not on the list:
Tell your complete story
Build deep relationships
Create trust on its own
Guarantee business success
And it always comes back to brand strategy
Building a brand that connects with people goes way beyond visuals. It's about getting clear on and then creating an experience that feels genuine and consistent, every single time someone interacts with your business.
This means thinking about things like:
The values you demonstrate and align with (core identity)
The quality of your products or services (positioning)
How you handle problems when they come up (core identity, personality, message)
How you talk to your audience (personality)
What it feels like to work with you (personality)
Thinking beyond the logo
A strong logo can make you recognizable, but building deep connections requires so much more. And it always comes back to brand strategy.
Here are some questions to think about as you expand your brand thinking to beyond the visuals:
What makes you different?
Who are you really trying to reach?
What do you want them to feel when they work with you?
The bottom line
Your logo isn't going to make or break your brand—but how you show up, connect, and deliver services just might. While a great logo can open doors, it's your entire brand experience that invites people to stay awhile and become part of your story.
📘 Reading pick of the week:
Brand Brilliance, Fiona Humberstone. I can’t talk about brand strategy and design and experience without mentioning one of my all-time favorite branding books. READ IT
🎙️ Listening pick of the week:
Is Your Brand Pulling Its Weight, Style & Substance. This is such a great episode about realizing the potential of your brand, and how to get clarity on making your brand work more for your business. LISTEN TO IT
With that, happy branding :) And we’ll see you back here in 2025!
— Kelly
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