When your business is ready to take off, the first thing you want to do is design a perfect logo for your brand.
But did you know that there are 7 different types of logos?
In this tutorial, we'll show you the 7 types of logos that you need to know before designing one for your brand.
At a fundamental level, a logo is simply an image that symbolizes a brand.
It can, however, be classified into seven different types.
Let’s go over them one by one.
Letter marks
This is a type of logo that typically only consists of letters, normally a brand’s initials.
BBC, CNN, HBO, and HP are examples of monogram logos that symbolize brands with lengthy names, but who have adopted the use of initials for brand identification. For example, BBC stands for British Broadcasting Corporation.
Monogram logos offer simplicity while being easy to remember.
For example, how simpler is it to say HBO instead of Home Box Office, particularly when communicating?
Wordmarks
Similar to letter marks, wordmarks are typography-based logos that carry a brand’s name.
Subway, FedEx, and eBay are prime examples of brands that have wordmark logos. They also symbolize a company’s core value proposition.
For example, did you notice the arrow between the letters E and X in the FedEx? It stands for forward direction, speed, and precision.
What is also noticeable is that the brand name is both short and unique, which, in combination with prominent typography, helps with brand identification.
For such wordmark logos also, designers must carefully consider their choice of font to ensure they are on-brand and reflective of what the brand stands for.
Pictorial
This is a graphics-based logo.
Nike, Olympic rings, and Domino’s Pizza are examples of brands with Pictorial or logo symbols.
Being household names, the logo makes them easily recognizable.
Conversely, this may not be suitable for brands that aren’t as established or whose brand recognition is not as strong.
However, if your brand chooses to go with a Pictorial logo, you must choose your image carefully, as it’s going to remain permanent.
Abstract logo
These logos express wide-ranging concepts and feelings with one symbol, making them a popular choice for brands that have plenty to say.
These logos typically consist of shapes, patterns, illustrations, line symbols, and more that convey a brand’s message with non-literal imagery.
Adidas, Xbox, and PlayStation are examples of brands with an abstract logo, whose key benefit lies in communicating a brand’s message using symbols.
Such use of colors and shapes elicits brand sentiment and emotion.
Combination mark
As the name suggests, a combination mark is a type of logo that combines lettermark, pictorial and abstract symbols.
Picture and text can either go side-by-side, be integrated as one to create an image, or be stacked one over another.
Adobe, Puma, and Gatorade are popular examples of combination marks that strengthen the brand-audience connection.
An advantage of combination marks is they are easier to trademark than, say, a pictorial logo because the text and the symbol fuse together to create a unique distinction.
Mascots
These logos include an easily recognizable brand ambassador in their design and make a particularly great choice for brands that want to cater to children and families.
KFC’s features Colonel Sanders, Melinda Lou is featured on Wendy’s, and so on.
Mascots are closely associated with sports, where it first became a concept in helping stimulate excitement among the audience.
Brands that choose to use a mascot logo must take into account whether they want their illustrated character to be a serious or playful character to fit the brand theme.
Emblem
This is a type of logo that has an icon or font inside a symbol.
Starbucks’ mermaid emblem and Harley-Davidson’s prominent crest are prime examples of emblem logos which are also commonly seen on badges, crests, and seals.
These logos often strike a traditional appearance and, therefore, are a popular choice for schools, government organizations, and agencies.
The traditional design also makes them less versatile for most other brands to adopt.
Check out the below tutorials
7 Steps to create a logo from scratch
