What’s the difference between a logo and branding?

A logo is one specific visual asset, while branding is the entire, much broader system of visual and experiential elements, including the logo, colour palette, typography, tone of voice, and overall customer experience, that together shape how people perceive a business. Branding operates at a strategic level (what does this business stand for, how does it want to be perceived, what emotional response should it evoke), while a logo is a tactical execution of just one piece of that strategy, meaning a business can technically have a logo without having done any deeper brand strategy work, though the resulting logo often ends up generic or misaligned as a result.

A strong brand extends far beyond visual identity into how a business actually behaves: its customer service tone, its social media voice, even operational choices like packaging or the words used in error messages all contribute to brand perception in ways a logo alone cannot control.

This is why branding projects, when done properly, typically start with strategy work (defining audience, positioning, values, tone) before any visual design begins, since a logo designed without that underlying strategic clarity risks looking attractive but failing to actually differentiate the business or resonate with its intended audience.