Often we come across clients who tell us that the logo we design should be a “super brand”. One that will remain in the minds of people forever and be instantly recognizable anywhere. They then cite examples such as Nike or McDonalds.

While it is possible to imbibe certain good brand design principles into a logo, a brand is much more than a logo. It includes the logo, the corporate colors, the website, the marketing materials and most of all, it includes the quality of service or product and the customer service provided by the company. All these factors together make for a brand that makes an impression.

Brands like Nike or Pepsi have an almost unlimited budget to spend on marketing. People are exposed to such brands constantly and over a prolonged period of time and hence they become instantly recognizable and in some cases come to be associated with the product or service.

Why else would Red Bull spend so much on organizing air races or on it’s F1 team? To reach it’s target market of men interested in adrenaline pumping sports. Constant exposure to Red Bull, via the ads during these events or via it’s logo on the F1 car or aiplanes, will hopefully create a brand recall and brand association.

I am not saying it is wrong in thinking that your logo should be well recognized and should stand our in crowd. But a logo alone will not do the job of building a brand.