What is the difference between Brand & Visual Identity?
At the 2013 MTV Movie Music Awards, Justin Bieber began his acceptance speech saying, “Thank you so much – not only to God, but to Jesus”.
It caused an onslaught of reactions in the comments, my favourite being: “I’d like to thank not only cutlery, but forks.”
When it comes to communicating who you are, that’s not only thanks to your brand, but your visual identity.
Your visual identity is an important element of your brand, but there is much more to your brand than the visuals.
To break it down further…
BRAND
Your brand is the complete, holistic expression of who you are and how you are experienced. It’s how your business looks, feels, and communicates — visually, verbally, and experientially.
Jeff Bezos famously said:
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
It encompasses:
Brand Strategy – mission, values, positioning, audience, tone
Visual Identity – logos, colours, typography, imagery style
Verbal Identity – taglines, messaging, brand voice
Brand Experience – feeling, vibe, mood, environment, i.e., how your brand is applied across mediums and interactions
A cult-worthy brand, is a brand that aligns on all of these things. Think Rhode, Hermes, Bass Pro Shop. You instantly can imagine their world, and you know if you belong in it.
if you are wanting to launch a new brand or rebrand an already existing one, that means you’re overhauling in a couple or all of these places. And, integrating all four of these elements is the surefire way of creating an entire world people live in when they encounter you.
Design communicates your brand value before a single word is spoken — and that first impression is invaluable.
This leads to the importance of an authentic visual identity –
VISUAL IDENTITY DESIGN
Visual identity design is the visual expression of your brand strategy. It works effectively when it’s been built upon an authentic brand, and focuses solely on the visual element, in order to intentionally attract new people.
Paul Rand said:
“Design is the silent ambassador for your brand.”
Think:
Logo and logo variations
Colour palette
Typography system
Iconography or graphic elements
Imagery style and art direction
Photography
Interior or Web design (online/in-store)
In short:
Brand design = big picture = strategy + visuals + messaging + experience.
Visual identity design = the visual ambassador of that bigger brand system.
If you’re wondering whether your business needs a full brand build or just a visual identity refresh, I can help you find clarity.
My process is collaborative, strategic, and rooted in nearly 10 years of experience helping organizations communicate their value with confidence.
