What comes to your mind when you think of a logo? Is it a visual element next to or below a brand name?
For small business owners, choosing the right types of logos is the foremost step in the entrepreneurial journey,
An all-inclusive logo treatment needs to entirely understand the needs of the business and dive deeper into your brand story. Beginning with the different types of logos available, you need to know what your options are.
While a great logo combines many components such as – colour palette, images, font, etc. Only if you are clear about the types of logos you want to build will these elements make a close-knit balance. That’s why it’s essential to know which types of logos truly fit your brand before you begin the design procedure.
There are two main categories in types of logos design:
- Logos that contain both text and a symbol
- Logos that only denote the initials or name of a company
Nevertheless, eight types of logos fit into the above two categories, and in this article, we will cover every single one of them for you.
Even though they are all a fusion of images and typography, the various types of logos give your brand a different look and feel. And you want to make sure you get your logo right, as it is the first thing your new customers will see.
Here are the 8 types of logos you need to know about:
- Monogram/Lettermarks logos
- Wordmarks/Logotypes
- The emblem
- Abstract logo marks
- Dynamic marks
- Mascot logos
- The combination mark
- Logo symbols/Pictorial marks/Brand marks
Want to know which types of logos truly fit your brand? Read on!
But first…what do you mean by a logo?
The term “logo” is broadly defined as an emblem a company has designed to visually represent its brand.
Since more businesses run exclusively online these days, certain styles have escalated in popularity in recent years. Hence, different types of logos serve a different purpose.
Which types of logos are best for a particular brand?
Each type of logo design has its own reasons to support and oppose.
In this article, we will explain the difference between the types of logos.
Read in detail about every single one of them and when it is best to use them before you decide on choosing a particular type of logo design for your business.
Moreover, before designing anything for your brand always remember to begin by developing a good marketing strategy or plan first.
1. Monogram/Lettermarks logos
Monogram logos are also known as lettermarks logos. They are great if you want to reduce your brand’s name to an acronym.
You can easily build the logo by taking the initials from each word of your brand’s name. Monogram logos are the types of logos that look professional and are also scalable if you choose the right font.
These types of logos are incredible if your brand has various names which you can use to create the acronym. But they are hard to recognize if you are new to the market.
Some famous examples include: CNN, H&M, IBM, HBO.
2. Wordmarks/Logotypes
Wordmarks or Logotypes are the most classic and pure types of logos. Mostly companies with short names opt for a wordmark logo design (one word or hyphenated/combination names are ideal).
These types of logos are easy to apply across mediums, and they enhance name recognition by being clean and simple.
Typography becomes the centrepiece, without symbols or illustrations and the stylized company name becomes a visual representation of the brand.
There’s a big room for artistic flair in terms of colour, character features, typeface, spacing, and shapes.
Some famous examples include: Google, The New York Times, Coca-Cola.
3. The emblem
The emblem originated from the Ancient Egyptians, who would use hieroglyphics and family crests to differentiate between noble families.
Emblem logos have been here for a long time. You can also find them in several organizations, clans, universities and dynasties.
An emblem logo offers a professional aura to your visual branding. These types of logos are beginning to appear more in the food and beverage sector.
These types of logos give you a unique and stylish edge. So choose emblem logos only if you have much to communicate about your business otherwise, the logo may be overloaded with unnecessary elements that fail to tell a story.
Some famous examples include: Stella Artois, Harley-Davidson, NFL, Warner Brothers, Starbucks.
4. Abstract logo marks
Abstract logos are your conceptual logos which consist of just a symbol – but one that is tailor-made for you. This type of image doesn’t necessarily imitate an object, instead it’s a unique logo that’s designed to express something specific about your brand.
Since, you can build a logo that actually communicates your values or something about your brand that you’d like to focus on, there’s a huge room to play with these types of logos.
So, if you’re a company that does several unique things, a well-designed out abstract mark may be the perfect logo for you! Abstract designs are incredible for communicating brand values or something else that you want to distinguish about your business.
Some famous examples include: Microsoft, Nike, Pepsi.
5. Dynamic Marks
Dynamic logos are a type of a unique anomaly in that they can take on many forms. Since a basic rule of logo design is consistency, however, that is accurately what makes these types of logos so versatile.
These types of logos thrive through consistency and require a very basic framework that serves as the core motif which will appear in any, and every, version of the logo.
One important example is Hilary Clinton’s ‘H’ symbol. The logo has a patriotic red, white and blue colour palette, which helped convey her campaign message and core values in a very effective way.
Dynamic logo is a strategic design approach that effectively communicates what a brand is all about. This is particularly effective for brands that are, themselves—dynamic.
Some famous examples include: Hilary Clinton, MTV, Virgin, Nickelodeon.
6. Mascot logos
Mascot logos consist of illustrated characters that act as “ambassadors” for a brand. As long as they reflect the brand’s identity, these types of logos can be anything from fictitious creatures to real people.
As people tend to naturally resonate with other humans, mascots are a great way of getting customers to connect to your brand. You can also use these types of logos to build a playful vibe that will attract your audience. Most companies targeting children and families use these types of logos.
Mascots can work really well when designing for social media and marketing campaigns due to their friendly and interactive nature. Although, they’re mostly made up of more details than a standard logo.
Some famous examples include: Colonel Sanders by KFC, Cap’n Crunch, Tony the Tiger by Kellogg’s, Michelin Man by Michelin.
7. The combination mark
These types of logos integrate images with words. For instance, a combination logo could consist of an icon with a mascot, or a wordmark with a letterform and so on.
Combination marks are admired by brands from all industries, as they are extremely flexible. You can build a number of variations of your logo while ensuring a clear visual language and use them for different purposes.
For example, Lacoste uses their combination mark on their website design, while most of their products only feature the recognizable green crocodile.
So, combination marks can be a great starting point for businesses that are not yet well-known as they help in building brand recognition.
Some famous examples include: Toblerone, Dropbox, CVS, Dove, Taco Bell.
8. Logo symbols/Pictorial marks/Brand marks
Logo symbols also known as pictorial marks or brand marks are graphic icons or images that reflect the brand’s identity. Generally, these types of logos represent an object from the real world.
These types of logos help you in setting a strong tone of voice. And as your company gains recognition, a well-thought logo symbol can become very memorable.
If you decide to go for a pictorial mark, it can be used to subtly suggest your brand’s values or message. For example, Twitter’s bird faces upwards, representing freedom and hope.
Some famous examples include: Apple, Twitter, Target, Instagram, Snapchat, Shell.
There you have it. A classification of all the types of logos out there.
Here are some logos that we have designed for our clients:
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Conclusion:
Logo design is actually about what works and very less about what one likes or dislikes. Designing your brand’s logo is a fun and creative procedure that builds the base of your business identity.
Think of your brand’s core values and how you’ll want to present them to the world once you have started brainstorming ideas for your logo design.
Whichever type of logo you choose, make sure that customers will remember your logo in their minds long after. Gradually, a mindful design will elevate your brand and customers will build positive feelings with your logo and brand. This all will ultimately add trust and credibility.
Now it’s time to craft which types of logos are right for you.
We are very excited to see what you’ll make, so don’t forget to share it with us on social media once you’ve created your design!
We hope this article was helpful and gave you some ideas about which type of logo design would best fit your brand.
