Your Brand Isn’t Your Logo…It’s Something Better
- Nicole Hamada
- Sep 16
- 2 min read
You’ve probably heard it before: “Your logo is not your brand.” But what is your brand…really? Because when people remember you, they don’t remember a shape or a color. They remember something you made them feel, a promise they trusted, a personality they connected with.
Imagine this: you turn on your TV and hear that quick “ta-dum.” You don’t need to see the screen to know it’s Netflix. That’s branding at work. A logo is just one visual cue. The real magic happens in perception, promise, and personality.
What Makes a Brand (Beyond the Logo)
Here’s how you can break it down into three parts that truly are your brand:
Perception: This is what people think when they hear your name. It’s the mental image, associations, emotions. Are you warm? Bold? Trustworthy? Curious? When I’ve run marketing campaigns with enterprise clients, I’ve seen how shifting perception can impact results. That shift is the real ROI of a strong brand.
Promise: Your brand promise is what people expect you’ll deliver consistently. It’s not just a tagline. It’s what you commit to. Like Apple’s promise to “think different” or Zappos' promise to “live and deliver WOW”. Your promise sets the baseline of trust.
Personality: Personality is how your brand sounds, acts, and behaves. If your brand were a person, who would it be? Witty? Compassionate? No-nonsense? Tone of voice, visuals, customer interactions - they all express personality.
Together: perception + promise + personality = what people feel when they think about you.
Branding In Action: Real-World Examples
Domino’s “Cravemark” Rebrand
Domino’s just rolled out a big update. New packaging, bolder color, and a jingle-lengthened twist on their name - “Dommmino’s”. All to inject a sense of craving into the brand identity itself. Notice they didn’t ditch their logo entirely. They leaned into what was working (the name, the icon) and added sensory layers (sound, vibrancy) to deepen perception. It’s not just a new logo. It’s a recommitment to how people feel when they see the brand.
Read more: Link
Why the Logo Is Only the Cliff Notes
A logo is a symbol. But symbols only do work if what’s behind them is strong.
A beautiful logo can’t rescue confusing messaging.
A strong brand can make a rough-looking logo feel trustworthy.
People remember stories, feelings, promises - not just visual marks.
When you build your brand around perception, promise, and personality…and you stay consistent with them…the logo just becomes a shorthand for meaning you’ve already established.
What You Can Do Right Now
Write down your brand promise – what you absolutely will and won’t do for your clients.
Audit your tone and voice – read your website, emails, social posts. Do they all feel like the same “person”?
Look at your visual cues (colors, fonts, imagery) – do they reflect the personality you want?
Collect stories, client feedback, case studies, and moments that embody your brand – those make perception real.
Need help defining your brand voice? Let’s map it out together!
Whether your logo feels stale, your messaging feels foggy, or you’re just ready to articulate who you really are…I would love to help you define the brand people will remember.
