Branding Is Like Crafting a Katana for a Samurai

Forget the iceberg

Branding isn’t about what floats above or hides below the surface. That metaphor assumes that things are either visible or invisible, either seen or hidden. But branding isn’t that binary. It’s not about hiding or revealing — it’s about crafting.

Iceberb branding with visible and invisible parts

Branding is the art of forging identity into form, and the right metaphor for that is not cold and passive like ice, but hot and deliberate like steel.

A better metaphor? Crafting a katana for a samurai.

The Sword and the Warrior

Branding is like crafting a katana. A katana is not just a weapon. It’s a tool of precision, made with intent. It isn’t mass-produced. It is custom-forged for the hand that will hold it.

In the same way, branding isn’t just about designing a logo or building a visual system. It’s about crafting an instrument that aligns perfectly with the personality, ambitions, and style of the business it represents. A real brand is not just a projection of values; it’s an extension of the company’s character.

Every katana has three essential parts. The handle (tsuka), the blade (tōshin), and the guard (suba). And each one maps to a stage in the branding process.

Let’s go through them.

1. The Handle (Strategy / Brand Identity)

The tsuka, or handle, is what the samurai grips. It is the part of the sword that never meets the enemy. You won’t find it gleaming in the sun or slicing through the air. But the entire sword is useless without it. The grip determines control, balance, stability, and responsiveness. It is customized to the warrior’s hand.

This is strategy.

Strategy is the grip of the brand. It’s the internal alignment, the brand’s purpose, tone of voice, positioning, audience, and principles. It’s the stuff that won’t always be seen directly, but shapes everything that follows.

Too many people think strategy is just words. In truth, strategy is design. It shapes what will be made, how it will move, and where it will go. It determines how a brand feels, behaves, and appears.

When done right, strategy becomes instinctive. Like a well-balanced handle in the hand of a master, the brand can move without hesitation. It knows what it is, what it isn’t, and how it should respond.

2. The Blade (Visual and Verbal Identity System)

Tōshin, or the blade, is the sharp, visible part of the sword. It is what cuts. What reflects the light. What strikes.

In branding, this is the identity system.

This is where everything comes to life: typography, color palettes, layout systems, icons, photography, illustration, motion — and just as importantly, the verbal identity: tone of voice, key messages, brand language, and storytelling.

Branding Is Like Crafting a Katana for a Samurai: visual and verbal identity

Visual and verbal identities work together as a package. One defines how the brand looks, the other defines how it sounds. One strikes the eyes, the other strikes the ears and the heart. Together, they shape every brand interaction, from a social post to a website to a pitch.

But like a blade, identity is nothing without form and function. The best systems are forged with discipline. A great katana blade has the perfect curve, the perfect weight, the right kind of steel. A great identity system isn’t about decoration — it’s about performance.

When strategy is solid and aligned (a perfect grip), the visual and verbal identities can be crafted to match. Fast brands get agile systems. Premium brands get elegance and restraint. Playful brands get bounce and rhythm. But every detail is rooted in the brand’s truth.

A blade that doesn’t match its warrior is a liability. Same with an identity system that doesn’t match its strategy.

3. The Suba (Logo)

And then, there is the suba. The suba is the hand guard. The metal disc that sits between the grip and the blade.

At first glance, it might seem like a minor component — maybe even ornamental. But the suba has two essential functions:

A practical one: it protects the warrior’s hand from the opponent’s blade, stopping it from sliding down and causing injury.
An emotional one: it often features symbols, patterns, or inscriptions connected to the samurai’s family, philosophy, or personal story.

This is the logo.

The logo is not the brand. It’s not even the full identity. But it sits in a vital place: the bridge between meaning and execution, between strategy and system. It protects the essence of the brand and communicates it in a small, powerful moment.

Too often, logos are treated like shiny accessories. Something to be made quickly, slapped on a deck, and forgotten. But a great logo has weight. It carries both protection and emotion.

It anchors the brand. It creates immediate recognition. It holds the story. The best logos are forged from the strategy, and shaped to match the system. They don’t float above or below the surface like an iceberg. They live at the intersection. Like a suba, the logo is where grip meets strike.

Final Thought: Branding Is Not Assembly, It’s Forging. Branding is like crafting a katana.

A katana is not made in pieces. It is not assembled like IKEA furniture. It is forged as a whole. Every part is shaped in relationship to the other. That’s how branding should be.

You don’t start with a logo and backfill strategy. You don’t copy-paste a visual identity from a trend. You craft each part to fit together, until it becomes a single, fluid extension of a living business.

A real brand doesn’t just look sharp. It is sharp. It’s grippable. Balanced. Precise.

And when it moves, it cuts straight through the noise.

Every great warrior needs a custom blade. Let’s build yours.