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There are three basic types of logos: text, symbol, and combination
logos. The type of logo that will work best for your company depends on
a number of considerations, such as the size of your company, the
uniqueness of your name, and a variety of other factors.
Text logo
A
text logo (also sometimes called a logotype or word mark) is a logo
largely made up of the text of the company’s name. This type of logo
can have some graphic elements – lines, boxes, borders – that interact
with, surround, or even form the letters. However, the graphic elements
should be used as an accent to the text, not as a major or
equally-weighted part of the logo.
A text logo works well when:
•
You have a multi-word business name. If your business name is made up
of many words, that are not commonly or easily abbreviated, or when an
abbreviation may not be appropriate developing a text logo will keep
the logo design as simple and clean as possible.
• You’re working
with an innovative, unique business name, as with Yahoo or Google. In
each case, the business name is enough to make the logo memorable.
•
You’re designing a logo for a large company that offers many types of
products, services, or a combination of both, that may be hard to
define or “wrap up” in a single picture or symbol.
• You’re
designing a logo “for the long haul” – there is less concern about your
company “outgrowing” a text logo – they are timeless and classic.
• Trademark protection is highly important – as long as your business name is unique, then a text logo will also be unique.
A text logo may not be the right choice if:
•
Your business name is not unique; this can mean difficulty for building
your brand recognition. Then, without a symbol, the logo will be more
difficult to remember or to associate with your business.
• Your
business name does not describe what you do, it can be hard to tell
what products or services you offer when just a text logo is used.
Taglines or other graphic elements will need to be employed to tell
your audience more about your business.
Symbol logo
A
symbol logo is the opposite extreme in design from a text logo. This
type of logo includes neither words nor letters – only symbols, images
and shapes. A symbol logo works well when:
• Your company
already has a high level of brand recognition. If who you are and what
you do are already widely known, then you can use a symbol logo as an
elegant and clean solution.
• You have been using a combination
logo for some time and have now built up enough brand recognition for
your symbol to stand alone. This is a common transition for a logo
design to take when your company grows.
• You have a unique
symbol in your industry – you wouldn’t want to be confused with or
mistaken for anyone else in your industry!
• You have the time
and energy to trademark your logo, and then to police and enforce that
trademark. This is how you ensure that your logo continues to be
uniquely yours. • You have a global presence and can develop a
universal, graphic symbol that speaks to you and audiences.
Additionally, a symbol can have meanings on many levels, and can also
have different meanings in different cultures
A text logo may not be the right choice if:
•
You are a company just starting out, you must have the budget and
desire to educate your audience on your new symbol logo. This can be a
difficult task.
Combination logo
A logo that in some manner
combines both a symbol and the company name. The symbol and text can be
integrated together, side by side, or with one located above the other.
Combination logos are the most common type of logo for several reasons:
•
A combination logo offers the best of both worlds. This type of logo
offers a memorable logo graphic that tells the story of who you are,
what you do, and what makes you different, all in conjunction with your
business name for easy identification.
• A combination logo is an
excellent choice for a small- or medium-sized company or a company just
starting out, to begin to build brand recognition, because a
combination logo is both visually strong and explanatory. The symbol
can speak to the services that the company offers, while the company
name increases the company recognition.
• Combination logos are
easier to copyright and protect than a symbol-only logo, because the
logo symbol will always be used in conjunction with the business name.
This automatically makes the logo unique.
You can use this guide
to determine the best type of logo to design or to have designed for
your company, based on the size of your business, how well-known you
are, your business name, and your business plans, among other factors.
Choosing the right type of logo design is the first step in building
your company’s visibility, credibility, and memorability...
Erin Ferree, Founder and Lead Designer of elf design, is a brand identity and graphic
design expert. She has been helping small businesses grow with bold, clean and
effective logo and marketing material designs for over a decade. elf design offers
the comprehensive graphic and web design services of a large agency, with the one-
on-one, personalized attention of an independent design specialist. Erin works
closely in partnership with her clients to create designs that are visible, credible and
memorable – and that tell their unique business stories in a clear and consistent
way. For more information about elf design, please visit:
Logo design at
http://www.elf-design.com
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