Don’t Confuse a Logo With a Brand – The Power of 3 Brand Codes
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 3
- 4 min read
Written by Sarah Cann, Marketing Partner
At Powered by Sarah Cann, we transform bold visions into measurable results through masterful marketing. With over 20 years of experience, we help high-performing entrepreneurs scale with precision, authenticity, and confidence.
Many business owners think a polished logo equals a strong brand, but that’s a costly myth. A brand is built on perception, reputation, and memory. This article reveals the science-backed power of using just three consistent brand codes to make your business stand out, stick in people’s minds, and build long-term recognition.
Let’s start with a myth
If you’ve ever paid for a beautiful logo and thought, “Great! Now I have a brand,” you’re not alone. It’s a common assumption, especially for small businesses trying to look professional and make a lasting impression.
But here’s the truth. A brand isn’t your logo. It’s not your fonts. It’s not even your colour palette. A brand is a perception. A reputation. A memory structure. It’s what people feel when they encounter your business, or even think about it. Building a memorable brand, one that cuts through the noise and stays top of mind, doesn’t require 47 touchpoints.
According to research from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, just three consistent brand codes are all it takes to drive recall and recognition.
Brand assets vs. Brand codes: What’s the difference?
Before we go further, let’s define a few terms.
Brand assets are the individual components of your brand’s visual and verbal identity, such as logo, colour palette, tone of voice, typography, and so on.
Brand codes (also known as distinctive brand assets) are the two to three consistent, instantly recognisable elements that your audience mentally associates with you.
In short, assets are what you have. Codes are what people remember. You can have a brilliant brand suite, but if you’re constantly changing how you show up, your audience won’t form a sticky memory. No memory? No brand.
The brands you know use brand codes repeatedly
Let’s look at a few familiar examples:
Apple, the monochrome bitten apple logo, minimalist product photography, and that iconic keynote stage.
Qantas, the red kangaroo tail fin, the white-on-red wordmark, and the safety video voiceover tone.
Nike, the Swoosh, the “Just Do It” rhythm (not the tagline itself), and black-and-white athlete imagery.
What these brands all have in common isn’t just polish, it’s repetition. They use their codes consistently, across all channels, without reinventing the wheel every campaign.
Why 3 is the magic number
According to data from Ehrenberg-Bass, when brands consistently use at least three distinctive brand assets (visual, audio, or experiential), they are significantly more likely to:
Be remembered in buying situations
Stand out on crowded platforms
Trigger brand recall before a consumer sees an offer
And the science backs this up. Our brains are wired to remember familiar patterns, but not too many. More than three, and it becomes cognitive clutter. Fewer than three, and it’s not enough to form a memory.
So the sweet spot? Three distinct, simple brand codes, used again and again.
Not sure what yours are? Here’s where to start
If you’re not sure whether you have brand codes or whether they’re doing any heavy lifting, here’s what to look for:
Logo or symbol. Is it recognisable? Have you been using it consistently across touchpoints?
Founder’s face or voice. Are you a key part of the brand’s public presence? If so, use that intentionally.
Sonic or content rhythm. Do you have a particular voice, format, or recurring series that builds memory? (Think podcast music, email subject line formats, or visual structure.)
Other possibilities might include:
A signature colour
A specific photographic style
A repeatable content format (for example, a tip carousel every Thursday)
But the key is, pick three, and use them everywhere.
Want to be more memorable? Audit your brand’s consistency
If your brand feels like it’s fading into the background, or if you’re constantly reinventing your visuals to “stand out,” this is your moment to pause.
Audit your brand codes
Ask, what would someone remember if they saw me once on Instagram, once in an email, and once at a live event? If you’re not sure, it’s time to tighten your code.
At Powered by Sarah Cann, we help businesses build brands that stick, not ones that just look good. From strategy through to execution, we focus on brand systems that are both visually consistent and strategically aligned.
Want to know how clear and consistent your brand really is?
Take my Interactive Brand Clarity Quiz to get instant insights into your brand’s messaging, audience alignment, visual identity, and more, plus a personalised roadmap to elevate what’s already working.
Let’s make your brand not just visible, but memorable.
Read more from Sarah Cann
Sarah Cann, Marketing Partner
Sarah Cann is a marketing strategist and business growth partner specializing in scaling premium brands with precision and impact. With 20+ years of experience and an eye for both strategy and execution, she helps entrepreneurs and businesses accelerate growth while maintaining brand excellence. Her approach is refined, results-driven, and always focused on long-term success.
