“I need a logo.” That’s often where it all starts. But is a logo on its own enough, or do you need a complete brand identity? The answer depends on where your business is and how you’ll be communicating.
Logo, identity, brand: what’s the difference?
- The logo is the symbol that identifies your business: a name, an icon, or both.
- The visual identity is everything around the logo: colour palette, typefaces, image style, graphic patterns.
- A complete brand brings together the logo, the identity and a guide explaining how to use them, with ready-to-use applications (stationery, social media templates, presentations).
The logo is your signature. The brand is how you dress and speak, everywhere and every time.
When a logo is enough
A logo alone can do the job if:
- you’re just starting out and your budget is limited;
- you mostly communicate in person or through word of mouth;
- you have few materials: some business cards, a sign, a Facebook page.
Even then, ask for the final files in every format (colour, black, white, vector) and note your colour codes. It will save you inconsistencies later.
When you need a complete brand
A full brand identity quickly pays off when:
- several people create content for you (employees, freelancers, printer, web agency);
- you post often on social media;
- you’re targeting premium clients or large contracts, where credibility matters;
- you’re launching a new website or a redesign;
- your current image no longer reflects who you’ve become.
Without a guide, everyone improvises: the logo gets stretched, colours shift from one document to the next, and your business ends up looking less solid than it is.
What a good brand guide includes
- Logo versions and their uses (light background, dark background, small sizes);
- clear space around the logo and uses to avoid;
- the colour palette with codes for screen and print;
- typefaces for headings and body text;
- concrete examples: business card, social post, email signature.
How much does it cost?
A professional logo generally ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and a complete brand from a few thousand to over $10,000 with an agency. At Avokado, our packages are fixed-price:
- Essential Logo: $650
- Logo + identity (palette, typefaces, mini guide): $1,500
- Complete brand (guide, stationery, social media templates): $3,500
Good news: you can start with the logo and build out the identity later, without starting over. See the details on the Graphic design page, or let’s talk about your project.