3 Different Types of Logos
A well designed logo can strengthen your corporate image and brand identity which can give you an advantage over your competition.
Your logo is the core of your corporate identity, it defines and symbolizes the character of your business and can be extremely important to the success of a brand. But before you start designing you'll want to become familiar with the 3 different types of logos.
Logotypes
Logotypes use lettering to show the name or initials of an organization in a memorable way. These logotypes can be built with existing or custom drawn typefaces. Many times companies will create a custom font based off of their logotype in order to be cohesive aesthetically
Icons/Symbols
Icons and symbols are visually compelling but stylistically simple images that physically resemble what they are trying to portray. They use imagery that conveys a literal or abstract representation. Symbols are less direct than straight text, leaving room for broader interpretation of what the organization represents. For a symbol to be an effective logo, it should be; easily recognizable, memorable, and not too complex so it's clear when reproduced in small sizes.
Combination Marks
Combination Marks are graphics with both text and a symbol or icon that signifies the brand image. Short text can complement an icon or symbol while providing additional clarity as to what your business is about. There are two types of combination marks; integrated and stand alone. Integrated means the icon or symbol is involved with the text, so you would be unable to show the text without the icon and vice versa. While stand alone means the text and symbol are separated so the icon and text can be shown by themselves or together.
These options should all be taken into consideration when designing a logo for a business. Another consideration is that it's not always going to be perfect. Don't stress forever about a logo because the company also has to work on it's culture for the logo to really succeed. Nobody knew the Nike 'Swoosh' would be where it is now but Nike pushed it and created an iconic meaning from something that had no meaning to begin with.
By Harlen Malkowich