A logo is what’s known as a brand asset. It’s just one of the many visual and verbal elements that help communicate who you are. But branding itself runs far deeper. So, what is branding really all about?

 

Branding is the perception people have of your organisation. It’s about what you stand for, what you’re trying to achieve, and how people experience your product, service, or message. Your logo, slogan, website, and marketing materials are tools you use to reinforce that perception, but they are not the brand itself.

When people see these brand assets – your logo, your colours, your tone of voice – they begin to form an impression. The goal is to make that impression consistent and memorable, so that over time people associate your organisation with specific values, services, and outcomes.

 

 

The way I describe it to people is by using the symbols that represent the three main Abrahamic religions. I know it’s not very business orientated but these are symbols that most people know. So, let’s have a look at them. If we look at the symbol on the left, most people will see that as a cross and associate it with Christianity. Automatically your brain kicks into gear and starts to think about churches, chapels, Jesus, the bible, and all of the other things that go along with Christianity. The same can be said for the other two symbols. If you look at the one in the middle, most people will know that as the Star of David and associate it with Judaism. Yet again, your brain starts to make the connection to things like synagogues, Rabbis, the torah, Hanukkah etc. The symbol on the right is the crescent moon often associated with Islam. We start to associate mosques, the Quran, Allah, Imams.

 

This association doesn’t happen by accident. We have been given enough information about these three world religions to quickly make associations. Our brain kicks in and starts to paint a picture, just by seeing a symbol. Over a period of time we have been given consistent information to paint this picture so our brain can quickly give us a back story. However, if we strip away the meaning behind the symbols and just look at the shapes, they are actually pretty basic. The cross is two overlapping rectangles, the Star of David is two overlapping triangles, and the crescent moon is two overlapping circles, one black and one white sitting slightly off center. We don’t initially see that because we associated the symbol with a well-known world religion and belief system.

 

 

So how does this work in the corporate world? Take the Nike “tick.” On its own, it’s a simple shape – something you might draw to mark a task as complete. But shown in a certain context, your brain immediately links it to Nike. You think of performance, sport, quality, high-profile sponsorships, and style.

Why? Because Nike has spent decades reinforcing this message across all of their branding, TV ads, social media, product design, celebrity endorsements, and in-store experiences. They’ve made that tick more than a shape. It’s now a shortcut to a whole set of values and expectations.

 

This is why how you present your organisation matters. Every time someone sees your logo, visits your website, or receives a leaflet, they should be getting a consistent message. It’s not just about being recognised, it’s about being understood.

Your brand is built on two key things:

By aligning your brand assets with your values and message, and delivering that consistently, you can shape how people see you—just like the world’s most recognisable organisations do.

 

It’s about reputation. It’s about recognition. It’s about trust. And it’s built, not in one single action, but over time, through consistency, clarity, and connection.

Your logo matters. Your website matters. But what matters more is how they all work together to tell your story and shape how people see you.

Let’s talk. At We Contribute, we help charities and purpose-led organisations bring their identity to life, visually, verbally, and meaningfully. If you want to chat about your branding requirements, please call us on 01698 609021 or use the contact form on our Contact page.