Common branding terms: Explained

Branding terms can often be used as a way to make the process of marketing and building a brand seem more complex than it actually is.

We’ve put together this handy guide to explain some of the most common branding terms used in design proposals so that you can understand what they mean and how they can be applied to your business.

• Branding

Branding is the collection of graphic marks, colours, fonts and supporting visual elements commonly used by organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition.

• Logo

A logo is a graphic mark or emblem. Logos are either purely graphic (symbols/icons) or are composed of the name of a business (a logotype or wordmark). There are Standard logos (commonly known as "wordmarks", including the Nike swoosh and the Coca-Cola red disc) and Brand marks (logos based on symbols, including the apple with bite mark representing Apple computers).

Some logos are created through traditional methods like hand-lettering or sign painting while others use contemporary methods such as computer software applications for digital design.

• Primary Logo

A primary logo is the main logo that is going to be used first in most places where it will represent a brand.

It's usually the first thing people see when they are exposed to your brand, so it has to be memorable and easily recognizable. The primary logo should be simple, clear and concise when branding creative businesses.

• Secondary Logo

A secondary logo is a small logo that contains less information then primary, usually created for secondary products of an organization or for use in smaller instances.

Example: Nike swoosh and Nike Air Max shoe’s logo, because they are smaller than the primary logo (Nike). They contain less information than the primary, but there still is some meaning in them – air max shoes and nike sneakers have something to do with each other, so their logos should reflect this sense of unity.

Secondary Logos are often used as social media icons, as they fit best into the small circular or square shape.

• Wordmark

A wordmark is a representation of your brand name in a special typeface and/or style. Also denoted as logotype and word logo.

The wordmark is the most common type of logo. It is usually a combination of a symbol and a word, although you might find them without any symbols at all, which makes them stand out more on certain platforms like packaging or signage (think Coca-Cola). The wordmark is the primary logo for a brand; that means it's used on its own rather than as part of another logo.

Filetypes

• PDF

As a filetype, PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It's used by computer programs to view and print documents in a single format. It can also be used to display text and images, or store vector graphics.

PDFs can be read by most computer platforms and can be created using Adobe Acrobat software.

• PNG

PNG is a filetype which stands for Portable Network Graphics. It's a lossless format, meaning that the image you save in PNG will look identical to how it looked before saving. This means that you can use PNGs on a website without worrying about them becoming blurry or pixelated, which is ideal if you're using images as backgrounds or logos.

PNG is also raster-based rather than vector-based, meaning its resolution will be limited by the size of your monitor—if you make something super small and zoom in on it, it'll get blurry.

• JPEG

JPEG is a filetype which stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPEG compression works by reducing the number of colours in the image.

• SVG

SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics. SVG is an XML-based vector image format, which means it uses lines and shapes to represent images.

SVG files can be scaled as large as needed without loss in quality. This makes them ideal for web design projects where the graphic will be displayed at different sizes across various devices.

It's important that you use Vector Graphics (as opposed to bitmap graphics) whenever possible because vector images scale better when resized or zoomed in on compared to bitmap images which become pixelated when zoomed in on.

• AI

AI is a filetype which stands for Adobe Illustrator. It's a vector-based format (as opposed to raster), meaning that it can be scaled to any size without loss of quality.

Adobe Illustrator is the programme your logo designer in essex may build your logo. These files are not typically shared with the client.

Colour Types

• CYMK

CYMK is a used in printing. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (black). CMYK is the standard colour space for printed material.

CMYK colours may appear slightly more 'dull' and desaturated due to the nature of printing with ink and other materials. CMYK files are not ideal for web use, as the colours will appear differently on every screen and printer type. For this reason, it’s best to use RGB or Pantone colours when designing for the web.

• RBG

RGB is a colour model in which red, green and blue light are added together in various ways to reproduce a broad array of colours. The name of the model comes from the initials of the three additive primary colours: red, green and blue. RGB is a device-dependent colour space; meaning that it can be implemented by different devices (such as monitors or scanners).

RGB files are best used for on-screen display, such as web design and digital photography.

In Conclusion

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what some of these terms mean and how they apply to branding. With so many different types of logos and brand marks available, it can be difficult to know which one is right for your business.

When it comes to working with marketing companies in Colchester or specialist freelancer, you can trust that each branding package is tailored to your business, industry and the needs of your customers. A branding agency will look at all areas of your business including: your existing brand identity, how it is being used across all channels; what messages are being communicated by the current design and who they are communicating this message to.

You don't need to know in depth about all branding terms, but it's best to know about exactly where your investment is going, so if you're unsure - just ask!

Curious what a bespoke package proposal for your business would look like from a freelance graphic designer in Essex? Enquire here.