For a brand an essential part of their brand identity is their logo. It is more than a picture or wording – it is an identifier for the brand and something that can make the brand stand out. But how do you decide which logo to pick? There are so many styles, so many ways to go. Which one is for you?
Wordmark
Wordmark logos use stylized fonts to spell out the brand name. They often use customized fonts specifically created for the logo – another strong identifier for the company. The typography used in wordmark logos is used to capture what the brand stands for. For example Google uses a clean, user-friendly font because that is what their brand stands for.
Lettermark
Lettermark logos use initials that represent words – for example CN is Cartoon Network. These initials often use customized fonts and make the brand recognizable, even if they are using initials rather than the full name. This makes the brand memorable and also easy to say.
Pictorial Mark
These are icon based logos that use graphics or icons to represent the brand. These aid in establishing a strong brand identity as the brand becomes known through their logo – the logo makes the name recognizable. These icons symbolise what the brand stands for – for example Twitter uses a bird tweeting because users tweet.
Abstract Logo Mark
Rather than being a symbol that literally represents the brand name such as the apple logo for Apple, abstract logo marks are unique pictorial logos that are abstract and specific to that brand but not a literal representation of the name. These are highly individualizes and make the brand recognizable even if their name is not on the logo. An example of this is Adidas, they include their name in their logo but because of the abstract logo mark they use a consumer can recognize their brand through the logo without the name.
Mascots
Mascots are logos that use a character to represent the brand rather than going for an icon or lettering. These help in creating a strong spokesperson for your brand that speaks for you and becomes something people associate you with. This can be a useful tool for strong brand messaging. An example of a mascot logo is the Michelin man who is part of the Michelin logo – if you take the lettering away you will still recognize the brand through their mascot.
Combination Mark
A combination mark is a logo that consists of more than one element – for example Kodak is a brand which used lettermark and abstract logo mark combined together to make their previous logo. These types of logos are highly individualized and unique to that specific brand, they are customized and make the brand recognizable. Typically combination mark logos consist of the brand name with some kind of imagery such as a pictorial mark or abstract mark. These make the logo easy to read but also easy to recognize, if you take the lettering away the logo can still be recognized.
Emblem
An emblem logo have a font that is inside an icon or symbol. These are classic and timeless and work to create a strong and powerful brand representation. They can also be modernized and still be classic and timeless. An example of a brand that utilizes an emblem style is Harley-Davidson which has become famous for its strongly individual crest.
Logos, Glorious Logos
A logo should be something that is tailored to represent your brand and what you stand for, and is something that takes thought and time to make. So when making a logo write down and think about what you want it to represent and then work on the design of it. A logo most likely won’t be perfect on the first go, it takes time to make and many versions until you have made something that is the final choice.
Our Logo
For Marketing for Good we decided to go with a classic and timeless wordmark logo which is easy to recognize and easy to read. We wanted it to be simple and effective. That is why we went with the same fonts as our decided typography and combined both the fonts we picked to create a strong logo which is neat, clean, and has good contrast in the colour.
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