| ||
| ||
|
Branding Information | |
|
|
Types of Logos
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. 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. 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. 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. About the Author Erin Ferree, Founder and Lead Designer of elf design, is a brand identity and graphic design expert. She has been helping small businesses grow with bold, clean and effective logo and marketing material designs for over a decade. elf design offers the comprehensive graphic and web design services of a large agency, with the one- on-one, personalized attention of an independent design specialist. Erin works closely in partnership with her clients to create designs that are visible, credible and memorable - and that tell their unique business stories in a clear and consistent way. For more information about elf design, please visit: Logo design at http://www.elf-design.com
MORE RESOURCES:
New Book, ForwardFast, Just Released by Health Science Branding ... - PharmaLive.com (press release)
Branding - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Branding Article: Pepsis Missed Brand Opportunity I love Pepsi. It's that slightly sweeter taste and the all-American logo combined with the non-conformist statement that, well, it's not Coke. How Much Is A Great Business Logo Really Worth? A great logo can help a business project a positive image while a bad logo can bring a negative impression about a company. For many companies, a logo is the only identifiable mark a potential customer may ever see, so it needs to be memorable, descriptive and easily recognizable. Id Buy That: Getting A Brand Mindset Feel that? The crisp tingle in the air? It's fall. Fall ushers in the promise of eating, seeing, and getting. The Brand Called You The best brands always try to do the right thing, so that their reputations will remain unsullied. But beyond that they grow, evolve and get better with time, while maintaining their special qualities from the past. Branding: All My Exs Live In... .. Build Customer Loyalty by Promoting Your Customers Do you want to attract new customers while building greater loyalty among your current customers? Include your customers in your marketing and promotions. By creating greater awareness of your customers (and their businesses) you may help to build their businesses and increase their demand for your products and services. Intelligent Design comes from Brand & Account Planners I've been reminded recently, rather forcefully, that not all reality hackers are anti-neoconservatives. Bush endorses teaching 'intelligent design'. Choosing the Right Color Palette Color is a highly personal experience - everyone has favorite colors, and other colors that they absolutely don't like. So, how do you determine which colors that will work for your business identity, and that will send the right message to?We have developed several methods and approaches for determining successful color palettes. Image is EVERYTHING The absolute foundation of your small business is your image. The way potential clients and/or customers perceive your business sets the stage for the way your product or service is recognized and ultimately judged. Articles: The Perfect Branding Tool If you own a web-based business, you're probably aware of the need for things like link exchanges, lead-purchasing, SEO copy, banner ads and all of the "traditional" ways to get exposure on the World Wide Web.But did you know that article marketing is by far the best way to build your brand while at the same time increasing your exposure?Web articles. Its Time For Some Steak Recently, I was reviewing our website statistics. One of the sites that had a link to mine caught me by surprise. What Make Us Unique and Different Starting a business can take a lot of time, money, and energy. And because we don't want to completely re-invent the wheel, we often want to copy (legally) other techniques, strategies or processes used by others. The Face of Your Business, Part I When we initially started our businesses, we had to decide how we were going to market ourselves. Kind of an obvious statement - every business has to do that. Extreme Makeover - Small Business Edition Have you ever watched one of those home makeover shows? You know the scenario. The homeowners have decorated or remodeled their house all by themselves. Build Brand Identity Through Product Branding Building a product into a brand leader is not easy, but I truly believe that you can improve your branding impression if you follow these 2 rules; Passion & Consistency as well as the 4P's of Branding that I have developed, PRODUCT - PLACEMENT - PROMOTION - PEOPLE. These 4 P's will enable you to check the way your brand is interpreted. Are You Brand Worthy? Are You Brand Worthy? Branding is a one hot topic, although it is wildly misunderstood. To make things even more confusing, branding is often tossed in the same basket as marketing which makes its application to an entrepreneur or sole-practioner even more unclear. Top Eight Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Your Business Naming a business is like laying the cornerstone of a building. Once it's in place, the entire foundation and structure is aligned to that original stone. All About Branding In this article i will explain how you can make your brand an succes.Corporate branding. Branding Mistakes - Brand Identity Guru 1. It "sells itself. Your Identity Speaks Loudly...What Are You Saying? Your corporate identity is a graphic expression of who you are as an organization. It plays a major role in what sells your company and its products.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
