By Deepika Bahri
One of the first reflections that stayed with me while reading Brands and Branding by Rita Clifton was not a dramatic revelation, but a quiet reaffirmation of something many branding professionals recognise over time.
Despite years of discourse around branding, businesses continue to approach it primarily as a visual exercise rather than a strategic discipline. Logos are commissioned, colour palettes are debated, and websites are redesigned—often before there is genuine clarity on what the brand truly represents. The book does not express frustration with this reality; instead, it calmly explains why this understanding persists and how branding is often simplified in practice.
This book explains why that misunderstanding continues to exist.
The Logo Obsession Is Not a Design Problem. It’s a Perception Problem.
One of the underlying ideas in the book is that branding is often confused with branding outputs. Visual identity is visible, tangible, and immediate—so it becomes the default definition of branding for most businesses.
But visibility is not the same as value.
Clifton reinforces that a brand lives in people’s minds, shaped by cumulative experiences, expectations, and consistency over time. The logo may be the entry point—but it is never the destination.
In practice, I see this play out repeatedly:
Clients ask for a “brand refresh” when what they actually need is brand clarity.
Why This Myth Refuses to Die
The book subtly points to a deeper reason this myth persists: branding is often treated as a communication exercise, not a business decision.
When branding is handled late—after products, pricing, positioning, and processes are already fixed—it naturally collapses into surface-level expression. At that stage, visuals become the only controllable lever.
This is not a failure of design.
It is a failure of sequencing.
Branding works best when it informs decisions—not when it is asked to decorate them.
A Brand Is What Happens When You Are Not Communicating
One of the strongest implicit messages in Brands and Branding is that brands are shaped just as much by behaviour as by messaging.
How consistently a service is delivered.
How clearly a brand responds in moments of friction.
How aligned internal teams are with external promises.
These are branding moments too—often more powerful than advertising.
This resonates deeply with my experience working with service-led, founder-led, and professional brands. When behaviour and communication are misaligned, no amount of visual polish can compensate.
Why Businesses Still Reduce Branding to Design
The book does not directly criticise businesses—but it does reveal an uncomfortable truth: branding requires patience, discipline, and long-term thinking.
Design feels faster.
Campaigns feel measurable.
Brand strategy feels abstract—until it is missing.
That is why branding conversations often begin with how it should look, instead of what it should mean.
And that is precisely where brands start weakening before they even begin.
What This Reinforced for Me as a Practitioner
Reading this book did not teach me that a brand is more than a logo—I already knew that. What it reinforced was why explaining this remains such a critical part of brand consulting.
Branding is not about being seen.
It is about being recognised.
And recognition is built through clarity, consistency, and conduct—not just colour palettes.
This is the philosophy followed at Antraajaal, where branding is approached as a long-term business asset rather than just a visual exercise.
That distinction is subtle.
And it is where strong brands quietly separate themselves from forgettable ones.
Closing Thought
If there is one takeaway from this reading, it is this:
A logo introduces you. A brand defines you.
And confusing the two is still one of the most expensive mistakes businesses make.