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.
SAMPLES:
http://www.elf-design.com/Images/Articles/LogoTypes/textLogo.gif
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.
SAMPLES:
http://www.elf-design.com/Images/Articles/LogoTypes/symbol.gif
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.
SAMPLES:
http://www.elf-design.com/Images/Articles/LogoTypes/combo.gif
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.
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