Why Clear Branding Is Important to Your Business
17th October 2025
We often think of branding as something visual, but it’s really about how people experience your business. The right logo and design choices can create connection, trust, and recognition. But when you get it wrong, it’s instantly noticeable. Here’s a small story from my own village that perfectly shows why clarity in your branding is so important.
At the end of my village is a lovely nursery with a forest school. It looks and sounds delightful, ideal for anyone with small children seeking a nurturing setting. Recently, I noticed new signage had been put up, but I couldn’t help spotting one fatal flaw.
To paint a picture of the nursery’s location: it sits alongside a road just off a small roundabout, passed by plenty of parents each morning on the school run. It’s the ideal spot to capture passing traffic and their ideal customer, a golden opportunity to make a strong first impression.
Unfortunately, that opportunity was missed!
The major error in their branding
You may wonder what the flaw was with their new signage and branding. Quite simply, I couldn’t read it.
The font was thin and overly scripted. The icon, as beautiful as it was, completely overpowered the nursery’s name. To this day, I still can’t tell you what the nursery is called.
When it comes to creating a logo, your choice of fonts, colours, and icons is crucial. A logo (or visual identity, as it’s often called by a graphic designer) is far more than a pretty addition. It’s what makes your brand recognisable, establishes a professional image, and helps you stand out from your competitors. It sets the tone for your business, attracts your ideal clients, and builds trust.
If your audience can’t even read your business name, you’re creating a barrier from the start. Using the nursery as an example, if I were their ideal client and drove past on my way to work, I would have missed a vital chance to connect. Later, when I wanted to look them up, I wouldn’t even know what to search for.
So, how can you make sure your logo works hard for your business?
Choose a legible font
It’s easy to fall in love with a beautiful font, but that doesn’t always make it the right choice for your brand and business. Your font should be clear, readable, and reflective of your business’s personality.
A font can express emotion and tone, whether it’s elegant, playful, or confident. It’s vital to make sure it communicates the right message to your ideal customer.
Balance your icon and business name
Your icon and business name should complement one another, not compete for attention. There needs to be a sense of balance and harmony between the two.
When designing logos and brands, I always recommend creating variations. If right for your business, a logo with your icon and one without can give your brand more voice and allow it to remain recognisable in any context. This flexibility allows you to use your logo confidently across different platforms and materials.
Ensure your logo works at every size
A good logo should be as effective on a small social media icon as it is on a large billboard. It should remain clear, legible, and visually consistent.
Testing logos in different sizes as well as in a monotone palette of black and white, along with your colour palette, makes sure your logo retains impact no matter how or where it is used.
Make your colours accessible
Yes, a pale pink background with a white logo might look lovely and on-trend, but if no one can read it, your message is lost.
A skilled designer will ensure your logo has enough contrast to remain legible and accessible for everyone, including people with visual impairments. There are specific tools that can be used to check this before finalising any colour palette.
Your brand is more than a logo
Even with all these considerations, remember that your brand is more than a logo. It’s your voice, your values, and the trust you build with your audience.
Your logo is just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s an important one. Whether I’m driving past your signage or scrolling your social media, I should be able to read your business name clearly and instantly recognise who you are.
The role of a strong logo in your brand identity
A logo is important because it:
- Establishes brand identity: It visually represents your company’s personality, its values, and its benefits.
- Builds recognition and trust: A professional logo makes a positive first impression and helps customers remember you.
- Differentiates you from competitors: A unique logo communicates what makes your business stand out. It helps you to talk and appeal to your ideal customers.
- Promotes professionalism: It signals that your business is credible, established, and trustworthy.
- Creates emotional connection: Over time, your logo becomes tied to your brand story, think of the National Trust and its oak leaf with acorns.
- Ensures consistency: It provides a unifying element across all marketing materials, creating a cohesive experience.
About the Author
Simone Carr is the designer and founder of Ellie and Liv, a creative design and illustration studio specialising in thoughtful branding and illustration for creative, purpose-led businesses. With over 20 years of commercial design experience, Simone helps brands tell their stories through authentic visuals that reflect their values and connect with their ideal audience.
She believes a design brief isn’t a formula to follow; every business is unique and should have elements designed in a way true to them. By listening closely and taking time to absorb your vision and goals, Simone translates your ideas into a brand identity that feels timeless, balanced, and unmistakably you.
After all, “you can’t rush something you want to last”.
Your brand deserves to be seen and loved by the right people. Explore my branding services to see how we can bring your vision to life.