Many companies believe that logos, headers, and business
cards are what make a brand. They’re wrong. Understanding the difference
between branding and graphic design is the first necessary step to creating
your own brand that is unique, strong and alive. Mockup
What is Graphic
Design?
The graphic designer handles all visual solutions for the
brand development process. They are the guardians of your visual identity so
that, whatever is being issued visually, stays cohesive on every
platform. Graphic design is anything that is created by a
professional graphic designer for your business.
While their contribution to the graphic design branding
process is primarily at the end (because they are the ones that have to
materialize ideas into something palpable, and, tangible) they should also be
part of the entire creative process.
The graphic designer branding campaign is like that of a
personal shopper, stylist and tailor all in one. They make sure that you look
good at all times no matter the occasion. They take your personality and
transform it into a visual medium (your clothing) in hopes of attracting
like-minded people.
Graphic Design Is the
Skeleton
When thinking about what makes a brand, it’s natural to
start with the visual cues: logos, headers, business cards, websites. In truth,
these elements are only a very basic skeleton of what makes a strong brand.
Great designers are the guardians of your visual identity,
taking great care to make sure that each element – colors, shapes, typography,
and yes, the logo – is compelling and consistent across all environments. When
done right, graphic design ensures that everything is cohesive and in its right
place, like a proper working skeleton.
What is Branding?
“BRANDING is any conscious activity that the company
performs to try to influence this set of perceptions in people’s minds.” –
Brands Come True
Essentially, this means that everything you do for your
company is considered branding and has the potential to be part of your brand.
This can include your offices/stores, your vehicles, your social media presence,
your shipping, your website, your customer service, your employees and yes,
your best graphic design logos. PSD Mockup
If high end graphic design is the master tailor, then
branding is your attitude/personality. You develop this on your own, over
several years. Your personality consists of your past experiences,
relationships, and opinions. While your clothing can reflect your personality,
it is hardly ever the other way around. Your clothing may draw them in, but it
will be your personality that will make them fall in love with you. The same
principle holds true with graphic design brand identity.
Branding Is the Body
and Soul
But of course, a business can’t run on bones alone. To keep
the metaphor going, branding is the entire fleshed out body. Not only one’s
muscles and clothes, but one’s beliefs, behaviors, and personality. It’s
everything from how your customer support answers the phone to the stock
photography in your sales deck. Branding is any action a corporate body makes,
and the art of branding is making that movement as deliberate and harmonious as
possible.
Graphic design and branding are inextricably linked.
Aesthetics mean nothing without a solid strategy, and a solid strategy means
nothing if it can’t be expressed. As an agency, we constantly have to balance
these two forces. Sometimes, that means choosing between something beautiful
and something purposeful. In a perfect world, you’re able to get the best of
both worlds, but at the end of the day, every decision must be made in service
of adding depth to the brand.
Conclusion
Simply put, graphic design feeds your brand, your brand
feeds your business. If your visual elements are competing with one another,
you’ll never win the competition for your customer’s attention.
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