When was the last time you went for a run or swung around a kettle bell? On a similar note, what did you have for dinner last night? If either of these questions stirs up feelings of guilt, it’s probably high time you started paying more attention to your health. Eat some greens and do some cardio (definitely talking to myself here…)!

In many ways, the anatomy of a brand is similar to the anatomy of your body: they thrive with an active lifestyle and flounder with a sedentary one. Beyond the obvious though, there are a handful of brand elements that bear an interesting resemblance to physical human traits:

Brand Element: Logo / Physical Trait: Face

The logo is clearly the face of the brand. It’s the physical element with which people are most familiar and used to seeing. The human face (or head) also houses all five senses, so it’s a hot spot of activity and interactivity, both with other people and the surrounding environment in general. Because of this, it’s the most visible and recognizable part of a person. The same is true for a logo.

Brand Element: Graphic Standards / Physical Trait: Brain

Whenever a new brand is launched and handed over to the client, it’s important to provide a manual on how to run the brand. Commonly referred to as graphic standards, brand guidelines, or something similar, it’s essentially a multiple-page document outlining all aspects of the brand. It details the logo, graphic elements, color, and voice, and how to use them properly (and avoid misuse). Like the human brain, it’s a behind-the-scenes control center and decision maker. It dictates the brand life, its style, and its personality.

Brand Element: Voice / Physical Trait: Mouth

This is an easy one. Brands and people both have voices, and they are both used to interact with those around them. When controlling the voice of your brand (and yourself), it’s important to maintain consistency with everything you say—otherwise you’ll end up confusing and angering people.

Brand Element: Social Media / Physical Trait: Arms & Legs

No brand today would be complete without a solid social media strategy, as everyone knows. In this metaphor, social media is the arms and legs of a brand. It is what allows the brand to expand its presence and reach out to a wider audience, by providing multiple touch points and opportunities for interaction. High-five!

Brand Element: Website / Physical Trait: Torso

At long last we arrive at the torso, the crucial part of the body that links everything together. Without a torso, you’re nothing more that a pile of parts (sorry for that mental image). Similarly, a solid website often serves as a connecting hub for the entire brand—it integrates and links to social media, it speaks with its voice, and it prominently displays the logo and other brand elements according to the rules established by the graphic standards.

So what do you think? Are there any other parallels between a brand and a human body that I missed? Use your brain here.