Brand Mark

A brand mark is a symbol, element, art design, or visual image that helps immediately recognize a certain company. It is essential for developing and maintaining a brand's image.

Why is a brand mark important?

Brand identity isn't just about some visual assets. It's about conveying your company's idea, the thing your brand stands for. Brand colors, fonts, and even logos are just tools that help you communicate your message and reach out to your target audience.

We live in a world where visual content plays a significant role in our everyday life. According to Poll Everywhere, 65% of people are visual learners. Thus, it's hard to ignore the fact that we absorb the information we see better.

Many factors influence the success of a specific brand, one of which is imagery. It's worth noting that using images can help you convey your message and emotions quickly. Keeping this fact in mind, companies worldwide use brand marks to identify their brands visually.

Now you know why companies spend a lot of time and strength on creating an excellent brand mark. It's time to see the difference between a brand mark and a logo because these two concepts are sometimes confused.

Brand Mark vs. Logo

A brand mark is a supportive element that helps customers identify a brand at once. When people see the brand mark, it should remind them of the unique characteristics of your company. It's all about emotional connection, something that will draw prospects to your brand and boost their engagement. While a logo is a combination of forms and other elements, a brand mark is an image.

Let's take SendPulse, for example. This marketing automation platform enables you to send automated email and SMS campaigns, create chatbots and web push notifications. Below you can see the difference between SendPulse's logo and brand mark.

A logo is a symbol made up of text and images used to identify a brand. It's created permanently and can sometimes undergo slight modifications. A logo shows what a brand does and values. It can be presented in the form of an abstract or figurative design or stylized brand name if this company has a high level of brand awareness.

It's worth mentioning that a logo is an integral part of a brand identity. An easily recognizable logo is a valuable asset for any company. That's why it's usually trademarked for intellectual property protection.

Logos of Dunkin' Donuts, Samsung, Burger King, BMW can be recognized worldwide. They aim to visually identify the company and draw a person's attention to the brand. We've prepared some tips to help you create an effective brand mark.

Creating an effective brand mark requires creativity, deliberate decisions, and attention to detail. Sometimes, it can be difficult for marketing teams to improve a brand mark to make the image meaningful, recognizable, and easy to understand.

Companies that seek to update or change their brand mark should follow several steps to do it correctly.

• Choose a brand mark that represents you the best. Refining your entire company down into one image can be challenging. However, if you use all the benefits of graphic design correctly, it can work wonders. An appropriate image can quickly change the way customers perceive your brand.
• Make it easy to understand. Customers who will encounter your brand come from different backgrounds and age groups. That's why your brand mark should be easy to recognize and perceive. Your clients shouldn't struggle to figure out the message you were trying to communicate. Keep in mind that nowadays people are overwhelmed with the excessive amount of companies and their marketing efforts. It's crucial to convey your brand idea fast to get the customers' attention and increase brand engagement.
• Create a brand mark that is easy to memorize. One of the goals of creating a powerful mark is to make customers remember your company and choose you over the competitors' alternatives. Developing a suitable and straightforward design ensures that you convey your brand's message clearly and effectively. As a result, customers will easily memorize your company.
• Ensure that it conveys your identity. In the long run, it's advisable to select an image that represents your brand's purpose and mission rather than an image that showcases your goods. You can't exclude the fact that your priorities and your main product might change, or you would like to expand to other types of products in the near future.
• Be consistent. Anything can inspire you to create a great brand mark, from the brand name to depicting what the company does. Let's take John Deere, for example. The brand name inspired the team to create a deer-shaped icon. When you decide on the brand mark, you should ensure that your team uses it consistently when communicating with leads and customers.
• Think timeless. As you know, some things can go out of style quickly. The word "timeless" is used here not to tell about something old or stodgy, it's rather about creating a brand mark that is classic and will never be old-fashioned. For this purpose, avoid using trendy fonts or today's influential design trends. Search for ways to create a brand mark that will be fresh even in 10 years.

Following these several steps enables you to create a brand mark that will stand out and attract customers. Now let's proceed to some examples of brand marks that have succeeded.

There are many examples of outstanding brand marks, and we've prepared the ones you would recognize.

Amazon

Amazon is an American company that enables customers worldwide to shop for different electronics, books, home decor, and more online. Moreover, it's a great example of a company that has an appropriate brand mark. Previously, a brand had a logo in the form of an icon which you can see below. However, the Amazon team decided to update its brand mark to make it more appealing. The mark was developed by keeping their customers' preferences and interests in mind.

Nike

This multinational company founded in 1964 is famous for manufacturing high-quality footwear, clothes, equipment, and more. To connect with the brand's customers emotionally, the company designed a brand mark that is easy to recognize and memorize.

Kohler

Kohler is famous for manufacturing plumbing products, but it also produces furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and generators. This company has long used abstract artwork to present "The Bold Look of Kohler." It's a great example of how some brands use intricate designs and stylistic features as a part of brand development.

To reach more customers, your brand should communicate with them on an emotional level. Making your company more appealing is a primary purpose of a brand mark. Anything can attract people to your brand, starting from colors, images, and words to graphics. You just need to create a brand mark that represents you best and makes people recognize your brand among others.

Resources:

1. This article defines the term and explains the difference between a brand mark and a logo.
2. This article provides readers with a detailed explanation of brand marks with examples.
3. In this article, you'll find out the distinctive features of a brand mark and a logo.

Last Updated: 21.03.2023