10 Components of Branding

Any experienced digital agency will tell you that there are many different components of branding, and the logo is one of them, but without the other components, having a logo at all would be almost useless as far as getting people to become your customers goes.  All these other components are what create the customer experience of your business so that when they see the logo, they remember the other things. What are the other components?

  1. Commercials
  2. Celebrity endorsements
  3. Store design
  4. Product packaging
  5. In-store graphics
  6. Sponsorships
  7. Print ads
  8. Website design
  9. Hang tags
  10. The music used in videos

Not all of these will be used in smaller businesses, but larger ones like Nike include them all. Yet you’ll be sure to note that their logo is very simple – a black ‘swoosh’ mark that represents power and speed.  It also looks somewhat like a tick – or check mark, depending on which country you come from or the outline of the toe and sole of their running shoes.

When people see the logo, they remember all those other components that they’ve seen about Nike, the ads and the music etc., and they feel good because they know it’s a good brand. So they are much more likely to buy the product.

If they simply viewed the logo without having seen the other components of branding, it would mean next to nothing to them. The look of the logo would not elicit any emotion at all, and they would not be able to bring to mind any of the details that would or should have been supplied by those other components.

If you are getting a designer to work up a logo for you, the first time you see it may be disappointing for the same reason. You have yet to put all those other branding components into place. And while a logo is important, it’s really no more important than all the other things you do to brand your business.  When choosing a designer for a logo, it is important to choose one that also designs the branding for your business.  Someone who does the branding will have a far better chance of also designing a logo that fits the brand.

Here’s how it works with potential customers: –

  • They see the logo
  • They remember seeing all the other things about the brand or seeing people using your products or talking about them
  • An emotional and intellectual response is triggered
  • They decide to purchase the goods

The logo is important because it is the visual cue for all that the person has heard, seen or learned about the product. This is not how the business owner feels the first time he sees the logo because, at that time, it does not represent all the other components.