What Comes First in Branding: Verbal or Visual?
Most people think “branding” means “logo.” That’s understandable. It’s what we see first. It’s tangible. And it feels like progress.
But your logo isn’t your brand, it’s just one part of it. And if there’s no story or strategy behind your logo, it’s just decoration — which is a missed opportunity to connect with your audience.
In reality, there are two parts to your brand: verbal branding and visual branding. So let’s dig into verbal vs visual branding and how to build a strong brand for your business in Ontario (and beyond).
What is verbal branding? Your voice, story, and message.
Verbal branding is what defines you as a company: who you are, what you stand for, what makes you different, and how you communicate with your audience.
Verbal brand development for small and medium-sized businesses should include:
Vision and mission statements
Core values
Value proposition
Brand positioning
Brand voice and tone
What is visual branding? Your logo, colours, and design system.
Visual branding is the design system that presents who you are to the world. It establishes how you’re seen.
Visual brand development for small and medium-sized businesses should include:
Logo
Colour palette
Typography
Photography style
Layout and visual rules
Verbal vs Visual branding: What should come first for your brand identity?
In our opinion? Verbal branding should always lead. Strategy first. Then story. Then visuals.
Because you can't build a meaningful design system without first understanding:
What you stand for
Who you’re trying to reach
What makes you different
How you want to be perceived
A bold colour palette might look great. But is it right for your industry? Will your audience trust it? Does it mirror who you are and what you’re trying to communicate?
A clever logo might make your designer proud. But does it reflect your values, your uniqueness, your voice?
That’s why your verbal branding is so critical. It sets the path the visual identity should follow.
Great design is strategic design
Let’s be clear: visual branding is critical. People make fast judgements. Your logo, colours, and design system builds credibility, signals quality, and creates memorability. Good visual design will turn heads. But your visuals will always work better when they’re rooted in a foundation of strong identity and brand messaging.
Here’s how we approach it at Clap Clap Creative:
We start by helping you get crystal clear on:
Who you are
What you do
Why it matters
Who it’s for
How to say it
Only then do we move into visual design. That way, your brand doesn’t just look good — it feels right, sounds right, and works hard to attract the right people.
Building your brand? Start with the words.
If you’re rebranding, repositioning, or building from scratch, don’t skip the verbal work. Define your story before you invest in how it looks.
Want help doing it? Let’s talk. Contact us to start the conversation.
❓❓❓ FAQ: Verbal vs Visual Branding
Q: What is verbal branding?
A: Verbal branding includes your mission, values, positioning, and tone of voice. It defines what you say and how you say it to your audience. Your verbal branding articulates who you are as a business, why you do what you do, and who you serve, and how you do it. This is your storytelling.
Q: Should visual branding come before verbal branding?
A: No. For small businesses in Ontario (and beyond), verbal branding should lead your brand identity strategy. Doing the work to create a strong verbal brand identity ensures your visual identity has a strong grounding, allowing it to better reflect your true identity.
Q: Why does brand voice matter for SMEs?
A: A clear brand voice builds trust, consistency, and make your brand memorable across all touchpoints. This is specially important in saturated markets.
