Logo, an essential part of everyday life, are everywhere your eyes go on. When driving to work, you see logo on your car; when working on your desk, you see it on your computer and likewise.

Not giving ubiquitous things a thought is quite common but logo is for sure a thing not to ignore. In your search for the best logo design, you may have never tried expanding your knowledge to the limit that talks about the seven categories logos fall in. Yes, like everything else, these categories have pros and have cons too, which even makes it important to know about them before taking the final decision.

Not wasting any more minute, let’s look at all these types with all the ‘goods n bads.’ While coming to the end, you will definitely be able to conclude the best fit for your very own brand.

1. Emblems

Probably the oldest form of logo that are also known as crests or seals. They are fascinating people since the middle ages.

Text inside a symbol is the representation of an emblem. Being classic, it brings with itself a traditional touch. Government agencies and schools are fond of them, as they give a wise & official look.

They include small & detailed imagery with fine linework; however, this is not any ‘hard n fast’ rule.

Why Yay?

To convey tradition or longevity or both

To convey a sense of poise

Why Nay?

Don’t look good when shrunk

Unreadable from distance

2. Logotypes (Wordmark)

These are built of nothing besides words that constitute name of the company, as typography is the focus here. The logo binds visual identity of the brand to name of the company.

Being careful with selection and creation of the font is the point here. Attributes of the words like style, shape and color convey meaning similar to what the words convey.

Why Yay?

Good for company that’s new and want to make its name

Ideal when a brand has a short name that doesn’t flatter when put as a logo

When one’s name is the brand name too, logotypes strengthen the tie happening between name recognition and visual memory

Why Nay?

Fonts follow latest trends and updating logo all the time isn’t possible

Doesn’t go with companies that have long names

3. Monogram

Focusing the name down to the parts that are most memorable and pronounceable, monograms are an interesting thing.

Here, the charge is taken by the typography and font. A lot of creativity is possible with the styling of the letters, all thanks to legibility being less of an issue. Fewer the letters, fewer the chances of people reading incorrectly.

Why Yay?

When the name is long, bringing together brand name and visual identity gets easy

Why Nay?

Of no good for a new company that isn’t established

4. Brand Marks (Pictorial Mark)

Imagery chosen for the logo must be iconic to let customers recognize and identify it. New companies find a hard time utilizing brand marks but that doesn’t stop them from being so much fun.

Way to go with brand marks is having a wordmark that’s associated with the image for quite sometime before dropping it completely.

Why Yay?

To make the brand name being drawn literally

When nailing down with a product/service, sticking with an image locks into a fixed way of branding

Why Nay?

It interrupts from appearing determined and focused

Doesn’t go with companies that have long names

5. Abstract Logo Marks?

When the aim is using an image without being forced by a literal representation, abstract logos are the choice. They can be created to awake a feeling and not just a thought. However, as an image is interpreted differently by different people, working with these is quite difficult.

Best thing about these logos is that once the brand is established, no other brand can have the same logo. Hence, an easy way to stand different from others in the market. In short, abstract logos survive and look different with head held high.

Why Yay?

For a pictorial element to the logo; however, with more serious tone than what’s usually created by most of the pictorial logos

To have something unique

Why Nay?

As they portray feelings, it’s important to know what emotions have to be created with the audience

6. Mascots

Being drawing of a particular person or an anthropomorphized character, these are different from every other logos. Mascots fetch positivity to the logo and the associated brand and are flexible.

According to the context, there could be different expressions and representations. They are mostly used by service companies, sports teams and food brands to familiarize with maximum customers and supporters.

Why Yay?

Gets easy to appeal to families, children and everyone else

The brands appears friendly and upbeat

Why Nay?

Looks over friendly and obstructs the brand from looking a really serious brand

7. Combination Marks

The world has colors other than black and white and nobody can stop a company from using more than one type of logo. A wordmark can be combined with a mascot or a wordmark and a monogram can be embed into an abstract logo. When different marks are infused, something creative and out-of-the-box happens.

Combination mark sounds good when the urge is going towards imagery with backbone of text so as to express or share the essence of the brand. A flexible logo that adapts to different situations is possible with marks. For new brands, combination mark is a good options to evolve as a one-of-a-kind company.

Why Yay?

To grab the best of different worlds

For a logo that’s future-proof and adapts & changes with the business

Why Nay?

Make the brand complicated to use by stealing away the simplicity

The End Words

Every brand is different and has a different story and vision. There are clothing brands with sophisticated logos and there are financial companies with a mascot; after all, it’s all about the details and their execution.

A logo is undeniably the most amazing part when starting a business. One must check out pretty pictures, turn on the creativity bugs and before finalizing anything, must go for a second or third opinion. With these tips, every brand can come to life.

Know more about business logo: Your Ultimate Guide To Design Bang On Business Logo

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