The seven most common logo design styles each have their own advantages and pitfalls. Considering these carefully can help you pick the logo that would be best for your particular business.

The Seven Most Common Logo Design Styles

Lettermark

Lettermark logos are comprised of company initials. They are typically used when a company has a long name and wants to help customers remember the business with ease. Generally speaking, the initials are not only used as the logo but also the domain name for the company. Examples of this include IBM and NASA.

Alternatively, some companies opt for a letterform logo in which only one letter of the company's name is used for the logo. McDonalds does this with its world-famous “M” arch.

Wordmark

Wordmark logos use a company's full name as the logo. A distinctive font and font color is chosen to set the name apart from other companies. Google uses this style of logo, as does Coca Cola.

Combination Logo

As the name implies, a combination logo includes the full company name or its abbreviation along with a picture. Arby's and Burger King both use logos of this nature, as do a host of other companies.

Abstract Mark

An abstract logo is a logo that doesn't have anything to do with a particular product or service your company is offering. While using a logo of this nature doesn't seem to make much sense, a lot of successful companies have built a brand name around an abstract mark, including Pepsi and Nike.

Emblem

Emblem logos are typically used by educational institutions and the auto industry, although there are a number of food and beverage companies that will use them as well. Many of these designs were created decades ago but then modified so they look good not just in print but also on computer. Like combination logos, they typically include the company name.

Mascot Logo

A mascot logo features the image of a person or animal that is closely associated with a particular company's products and/or services. KFC uses a logo of this nature. Kool-Aid and Planter's also have their own distinctive mascots, as does Michelin.

Pictorial Mark

A pictorial mark is a picture that is highly related to the business and what it does. Apple, for instances, uses an image of an apple as its logo as the association with the business name is impossible to miss. Other businesses and even non-profit organizations use an image related to what the organization does.

The Pros and Cons of the Seven Most Common Logo Design Styles

The seven most common logo design styles can be divided into two categories: Pictorial and Word-Based. If you aren't sure what type of logo would be right for your new business, consider the following important questions:

  • What point do you want your new logo to make? Do you want it to showcase your business as environmentally-friendly? Are you trying to impress your clients with your technical expertise? Alternatively, are you trying to reach parents and children with a family-friendly logo? Knowing what image, you want to convey to your target audience will help you choose the logo that will be the most appealing to them.
  • What is your company name? Catchy names that are easy to pronounce (or create an abbreviation from) often do well with lettermark or wordmark logos. The advantage of these types of logos is that people will see it and immediately know who you are. You are essentially creating brand awareness every time you use your business logo.
  • Do you intend to eventually reach an international audience? If so, choose a pictorial image with care. An image and/or color scheme that is acceptable in one country may be offensive in another one.
  • How would your logo look on letterheads, billboards, websites or an app? It is important for your logo to be clearly visible on any platform.
  • Do you intend to stick with the same products and/or services long-term? Make sure your logo is versatile enough to be adapted if the need arises.
  • What are your competitors doing? This is an extremely important question as you want to avoid inadvertently designing a logo that is similar to that used by another company. It's also important for your business name to be different from other company names so your clients don't confuse your company with another one.

If you have looked over the seven most common logo design styles and still aren't sure what type of logo would best suit your company's needs, seek expert advice in order to create with a winning design. Brandgy offers not only branding advice but also other important online marketing services to help you create and promote your new company. Get in touch with us to discover how we can help you design a logo you can be proud of both now and in the future.