LOGO DESIGN ARTICLES

The Storied History of Logo Design | Why Professional Logo Design is Essential for Small Businesses | Logo Designer Has Many Options | Right Logo Design Can Take Business to Next Level | Does Your Small Business Need a Company Logo?

Logo Designer Has Many Options

The company logo has become the face of the company it represents and is the first thing that should come to mind when people think of your business. Every company seeks to establish brand recognition with their logo. This way, every product or company truck, uniform, or piece of equipment with the company logo on it becomes an advertisement for that company. But there are several types of logos, meaning that a logo designer has several options to choose from when creating one.

Wordmark Logo

Just as the name suggests, a wordmark logo is nothing more than words with some alterations to the typeface. A logo designer would generally choose this option if the company describes what the business does, like in the case of Subway or Office Max. A business might choose a logo of this type if they have limited funds or if they have a reasonably original name that is not yet a common household word.

Lettermark Logo

Logo designers using this strategy also only use words to create the logos. The difference is that this type of design is usually used for initials and abbreviations, such NBC or CBS. The letters come to symbolize the company while the actual wording behind the abbreviation or initials becomes lost thanks to effective marketing. Logo designers choose this route when: initials can be better represented graphically than actual name; you can afford to educate the public as the meaning of the lettermark logo.

Brandmark Logo

This is a simple but completely graphic symbol; there is no text or wording with it. The symbol is generally an abstract but dramatic or sometimes comic graphic symbol that relates to the company it represents. The “swoosh” of Nike is the best example of a brandmark logo there is. The apple used by Apple Computers is another. Companies usually ask their logo designers to go this route when: an emblem is needed on the product (as with Nike shoes and apparel); name is too long or undistinguished for a wordmark or lettermark logo; and the company has enough money to educate the public about their symbol and its use.

Iconic Logo

The iconic logo is a combination of the graphic and text logo. Logo designers choose this kind of symbol when they wish to communicate what the company does and also display the corporate personality as well. The FTD logo with the company name and image displayed together is an example of an iconic logo. The logo for Nickelodeon is another example of this type of logo treatment. Companies choose this option when they: have limited funds; have a reasonably unique name that is not yet a household word; and they need an emblem on the product but also want the graphic element in the logo as well.