Different Types of Logos
What is a Logo Lockup? (Different Types of Logos + Where to Use Them)
Your logo, one piece of your brand’s visual identity… and arguably a pretty key element as this will be something viewed by many representing your brand at each turn. Putting some leg work into your logo design will make sure it is working for you; not only speaking to your ideal customer but assuring the logo works across ALL platforms, that’s where we come in.
Purposeful logo lockups are comprised of different types of logo components, these variations are carefully considered/designed to work together and apart (where permitted, read our post about Logo Guidelines, Every Brand NEEDS Them).
Wordmarks, lettermarks, brandmarks/icons, combination logos/logo lockups, and emblems are parts of a larger logo system. The variety within unity of a logo system allows for proper applications across a broad range ensuring your brands integrity, dictating how to use (and not use) the different types of logos.
Our Thinkwerx team has been lucky to work with some amazing brands over the years, from rebrands of established organizations to fresh startups, each with unique needs reflected in the final logo systems. Some amazing Lakeland brands we’ve helped shape like Dart Simmentals, NCHL, and Tay & Company can be viewed here, you will see the unity within the types of logos and how they come together to form a solid logo system.
Wordmarks
Essentially the name of the brand represented in your logo. Typography is a key component to your brand, legibility alongside type treatment impact on how your brand is perceived. Custom lettering is often how a wordmark is formed; a carefully researched stock typeface is modified OR hand lettering is composed to align with the logo design brief and logo as a whole; these designed wordmarks feature said lettering. Website header, building signage, business stationary, and wordmarks often work best on small promotionals like pens as well!
Lettermarks
The text that makes up a lettermark is like our TWX, similar to a wordmark as it too stems from typography BUT is usually an abbreviation/acronym. When you think TWX you simultaneously think “Thinkwerx” and it becomes so synonymous that the lettermark can be the go to phrase overtime, think NHL. Lettermarks can be a way for clients to have a version of their logo for community use (think sponsorships) or even in house use omitting long professional designations required elsewhere… We love this option as it often lands on apparel and having a lettermark will allow for promotionals that people actually want to wear. 🙂 Working your lettermark abbreviation/acronym into the SEO on your website will make sure that you will still show up by that name when searched!
Brandmarks
What most people think of when they are asked to think of a brand’s logo is likely the brandmark. This portion of a logo contains no text but an image/icon/symbol representing the brand. As it goes, people respond on a more instinctual level to an image as opposed to text and having this type of form included in your logo system opens up the opportunity for your audience to have this deeper connection with your brand! Brandmarks can be based on a character letter form like Tay & Company and DART Simmentals seen here (monogram inspired marks). The most versatile component of your logo system, it can be scaled down quite small to fit on any promo item and we ALWAYS love making apparel that people actually want to wear… thus your brandmark is great for hats/toques, tees, bags, blankets, mugs, and the list goes one! Your website favicon needs this mark as does that tiny space on social media account profiles!
Pairing a brandmark with a wordmark is standard practice and part of a larger logo system. When it appears with a wordmark, the whole is referred to as logo lockup/combination logo and often you will have not one but two or three of these logo lockups, giving your logo system plenty of variety for your brand!
Logo Lockups/Combination Marks
Possibly the most common types of logos. Where the logo elements we’ve referenced come together to create a new logo form and often the primary and secondary logos. Seeing the full system come together in a logo lockup allows for a complete view of said system that sums up your brand… at least on the visual side of things.
Emblems
An emblem can also be part of your logo system, a little more traditional and where you lean when you need to put all the extra. From taglines, phrases, locations, services, dates, ect. All too often a circle is the go to shape for these emblems as it allows for a seamless balance and application. Commemorative/anniversary logos often find a place through this form; where the branding is on point yet all the information is included to quickly communicate that longer story about your brand/history.
Types of logos vary in intention just as they vary in design, to assure you are always using your logo properly, follow your logo guidelines provided by your logo design team, they will help guide not only you but anybody using your logo.
Assuring the correct type of logo is called forward and usage is correct is indicative of your brand that you have worked so hard to build and maintain. Merely one part of the whole, one branding tool (with many moving parts) helping tell the story of who your company is. Whether you have a logo, are looking to rebrand or clean up your existing logo, or are starting out and need a fresh design to kick things off right our team would love to chat! Hooking you up with a full logo system, building on to your existing one part logo, or defining usage through NEW set logo guidelines, let’s chat!