The Difference: Brand Designer vs. Graphic Designer

What's the difference between a brand designer and a graphic designer?

Both brand designers and graphic designers work with visual elements and design, but they have different focuses and areas of expertise.

A brand designer is primarily concerned with developing and maintaining a company's brand identity. This involves creating a visual language and overall brand strategy that aligns with the company's values, mission, and target audience. A brand designer works closely with a company to understand its brand and develop branding elements, such as logos, color schemes, typography, and imagery, that effectively communicate the brand's message and personality.

On the other hand, a graphic designer is focused on creating visual elements for a variety of mediums, including print, digital, and multimedia. This can include designing marketing materials such as brochures, posters, and social media graphics, as well as designing website layouts, user interfaces, and product packaging. A graphic designer typically works on specific projects and collaborates with other professionals, such as marketers, writers, and web developers, to produce designs that effectively communicate a message or concept.

What is it called when you can do both?

When someone has the skills and expertise to work in both brand design and graphic design, they are commonly referred to as a "visual designer" or "design generalist". This means that they have a broad skill set that allows them to work on both branding and graphic design projects, as well as other design-related tasks, such as user experience design, user interface design, and web design. A visual designer may work as a freelancer, in-house at a company, or as part of a design agency, and their versatility makes them a valuable asset in the design industry.