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The 7 types of logos (and how 

to use them) 

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Build a business Get inspired Grow an agency
by Kelly Morr
Learn design Design basics Famous design & designers
3 years ago | 11 min read 
Logo & branding

A
logo is an image that symbolizes your business. But did you
know there are 7 different types of logos?

Though they’re all a combination of typography and images, each

type of logo gives your brand a different feel. And since your logo is
the first thing new customers will see, you want to make sure you
get it right. Want to choose the best logo type for your business?
Here are the 7 types of logos you need to know about:

1. Monogram logos (or lettermarks)

Monogram logos or
lettermarks are logos that
consist of letters, usually
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remember, they’ve each
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for brand-identification
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use monograms— and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA
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apply.
logos—to represent their
organizations.

A lettermark is a typography-based logo that’s comprised of a few

letters, usually a company’s initials. The lettermark is all about
simplicity. By utilizing just a few letters lettermark logos are effective
at streamlining any company brand if they have a long name. For
example, how much easier is it to say—and remember—NASA versus
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration?

Have a question?Ask our team.

Because the focus is on initials, the font you choose (or create) is
very important to make sure your logo is not only on-theme with
what your company does, but also legible when you print on
business cards. Also, if you’re not an established business already
you may want to add your full business name below the logo so
people can begin to learn who you are right away.

>> Get inspired by some amazing monogram logos

2. Wordmarks (or logotypes)

Similar to a lettermark, a wordmark or logotype is a font-based logo
that focuses on a business’ name alone. Think Visa and Coca-Cola.
Wordmark logos work really well when a company has a succinct
and distinct name. Google’s logo is a great example of this. The
name itself is catchy and memorable so, when combined with strong
typography, the logo helps create strong brand recognition.

Also, like with a lettermark logo, typography will be an important

decision. Since the focus will be on your name, you’ll want to pick a
font—or create a font—that captures the essence of what your
business does. For example, fashion labels tend to use clean, elegant
fonts that feel high-end, while legal or government agencies almost
always stick to traditional, “heavier” text that feels secure.

When to use lettermark and wordmark

logos:
Consider a lettermark logo if your More popular reads

business happens to have a long 11 innovative logo design trends

name. Condensing the business for 2022
name into initials will help simplify
your design and likewise customers
How to successfully rebrand: a
will have an easier time recalling your
strategic and tactical guide
business and your logo.

A wordmark is a good decision if

A guide to the monogram design
you’re a new business and need to
process
get your name out there, just make
sure that name is short enough to
take advantage of the design.
Anything too long can look too cluttered.

A wordmark logo is a good idea if you have a distinct business

name that will stick in customers’ minds. Having your name in a
great, designed font will make your brand all the stickier.

Both lettermark and wordmark logos are easy to replicate

across marketing material and branding thus making them
highly adaptable options for a new, and developing, business.

Remember that you’ll want to be scrupulous when creating a

lettermark or a wordmark. Your business name in a font alone
likely won’t be distinct enough to capture the nuance of your
brand. So make sure you hire a professional who’ll have an eye
for detail.

>> Check out some of our favorite typographic logos

3. Pictorial marks (or logo symbols)

A pictorial mark (sometimes called brand mark or logo symbol) is an
icon—or graphic-based logo. It’s probably the image that comes to
mind when you think “logo”: the iconic Apple logo, the Twitter bird,
the Target bullseye. Each of these companies’ logos is so
emblematic, and each brand so established, that the mark alone is
instantly recognizable. A true brand mark is only an image. Because
of this, it can be a tricky logo type for new companies, or those
without strong brand recognition, to use.

The biggest thing to consider when deciding to go with a pictorial

mark is what image to choose. This is something that will stick with
your company its entire existence. You need to think about the
broader implications of the image you choose: do you want to play
on your name (like John Deere does with their deer logo)? Or are you
looking to create deeper meaning (think how the Snapchat ghost
tells us what the product does)? Or do you want to evoke an emotion
(as the World Wildlife foundation does with their stylized image of a
panda—an adorable and endangered species)?

>> Check out some amazing iconographic logos

4. Abstract logo marks

An abstract mark is a specific type of pictorial logo. Instead of being
a recognizable image—like an apple or a bird—it’s an abstract
geometric form that represents your business. A few famous
examples include the BP starburst-y logo, the Pepsi divided circle
and the strip-y Adidas flower. Like all logo symbols, abstract marks
work really well because they condense your brand into a single
image. However, instead of being restricted to a picture of something
recognizable, abstract logos allow you to create something truly
unique to represent your brand.

The benefit of an abstract mark is that you’re able to convey what

your company does symbolically, without relying on the cultural
implications of a specific image. Through color and form, you can
attribute meaning and cultivate emotion around your brand. (As an
example, think about how the Nike swoosh implies movement and
freedom).

>> Check out some of our favorite abstract logos

5. Mascots
Mascot logos are logos that involve an illustrated character. Often
colorful, sometimes cartoonish, and most always fun, the mascot
logo is a great way to create your very own brand spokesperson—er,
spokes-character(?).

A mascot is simply an illustrated character that represents your

company. Think of them as the ambassador for your business.
Famous mascots include the Kool-Aid Man, KFC’s Colonel and
Planter’s Mr. Peanut. Mascots are great for companies that want to
create a wholesome atmosphere by appealing to families and
children. Think of all those mascots at sporting events and the great
dynamic they create by getting involved with the audience!

>> Check out some of our favorite mascot logos

When to use picture and symbol logos:

A pictorial mark alone can be tricky. It’s effective if you already
have an established brand but that’s not a hard and strict rule.
You can use brandmarks to your advantage to convey what your
business does graphically if your name is too long, and they can
also be used effectively to convey a desired idea or emotion.

Pictorial and abstract marks also work quite well for global
commerce if, for example, a business name doesn’t lend itself
well to translation.

A pictorial mark however may not be the best idea if you

anticipate changes to your business model in the future. You may
start off selling pizzas and use a pizza in your logo but what
happens when you start to selling sandwiches or burgers, or
even produce?

Have a question?Ask our team.

Abstract marks allow you to create a completely unique image

for your business, but are best left to design professionals who
understand how color, shape and structure combine to create
meaning.

Think about creating a mascot if you are trying to appeal to

young children or families. One big benefit of a mascot is it can
encourage customer interaction so it’s a great tool for social
media marketing as well as real world marketing events. I mean,
who doesn’t want to take a selfie with the Pillsbury Doughboy?

Remember that a mascot is only one part of a successful logo

and brand, and you may not be able to use it across all your
marketing material. For example, a highly detailed illustration
may not print well on a business card. So put some consideration
in the next type of logo design below, the combination mark.

6. The combination mark

A combination mark is a logo comprised of a combined wordmark or
lettermark and a pictorial mark, abstract mark, or mascot. The
picture and text can be laid out side-by-side, stacked on top of each
other, or integrated together to create an image. Some well known
combination mark logos include Doritos, Burger King and Lacoste.

Because a name is associated with the image, a combination mark is

a versatile choice, with both the text and icon or mascot working
together to reinforce your brand. With a combination mark, people
will also begin to associate your name with your pictorial mark or
mascot right away! In the future you may be able to rely exclusively
on a logo symbol, and not have to always include your name. Also,
because the combination of a symbol and text create a distinct
image together, these logos are usually easier to trademark than a
pictorial mark alone.

7. The emblem
An emblem logo consists of font inside a symbol or an icon; think
badges, seals and crests. These logos tend to have a traditional
appearance about them that can make a striking impact, thus they
are often the go-to choice for many schools, organizations or
government agencies. The auto industry is also very fond of emblem
logos. While they have a classic style, some companies have
effectively modernized the traditional emblem look with a logo
designs fit for the 21st century (think of Starbucks’ iconic mermaid
emblem, or Harley-Davidson’s famous crest).

But because of their lean towards higher detail, and the fact that the
name and symbol are rigidly entwined, they can be less versatile
than the aforementioned types of logos. An intricate emblem design
won’t be easy to replicate across all branding. For business cards, a
busy emblem may shrink so small before it becomes too difficult to
read. Also, if you plan on embroidering this type of logo on hats or
shirts, then you’ll really have to create a design that is on the simple
side or it just won’t be possible. So as a rule keep your design
uncomplicated and you’ll walk away with a strong, bold look that’ll
make you look like the consummate professional.

>> Check out some fantastic emblem logos

When to use a combination mark or emblem

logos:
A combination mark is a great choice for pretty much any
business out there. It’s versatile, usually highly unique, and the
most popular choice of logo among prominent companies. (We
also see A LOT of combination mark logos get created on
99designs.)

An emblem’s traditional look might be favored by lots of public

agencies and schools but it can also serve any up-and-coming
private business quite well, especially those in the food and
beverage industry: think beer labels and coffee cups
(Starbucks!). But remember to play it safe when it comes to
detail. You still want a design you’ll be able to print neatly across
all of your marketing material.

There you have it. A breakdown of all the types of logos out there.

Want more logo design tips? Learn how to design a logo here.

Ready to get a professional logo for your

Get a logo
business?
A logo design contest can get you dozens of ideas
from designers around the world.

This article was originally written by Hilda Morones and published in

2016. It’s been updated with new information and examples.

The author Related articles

Kelly Morr What is branding?

Kelly was the head of content strategy at
99designs from 2015-2020. In addition to
researching, writing and editing awesome
articles on design, Kelly likes cuddling Logo colors: what’s best for your
cats, climbing through canyons and over- brand?
explaining figure skating to people. You
can reach her on Twitter @KelMo.

Tags Generic logos: how to spot and

avoid them
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Waleed
5 years ago

Awesome description and details…

  Reply

thing 1
10 months ago

you know that the words burger king in the logo is the meat and
there are 2 buns

Pau
5 years ago

Looking to get a logo for my painting businesses

  Reply

hayirut
5 years ago

very helpful,..

  Reply

Mairaj
4 years ago

Hello Hilda,

First of all, I would like to thanks for sharing with us such an informative
and detailed post about 7 types of logos. I must say every individual who
wants to start their career as a Freelance Graphic designer he/she must
read this post.

Because you have explained very nicely the difference between different
sort of logos and their types.

Many thanks for fantastic share 🙂

Regards

Mairaj

  Reply

Vivek
2 years ago

Nice article

Danielle Mallett
last year

Completely agree.

yeah, you're right.

last year

Yeah, you’re right.

Oscar
4 years ago

Great article!
Very well explained and clear

  Reply

Clement Friday Brownson

4 years ago

I want to get a logo for my Recharge Card printing business.

  Reply

Jamahl
4 years ago

Feel free to look into a logo contest here. If you need help with
the process, 99designs offers free consultations here.

Deon
3 years ago

Great article! I learned a lot for my art class!

  Reply

Kevin Vincent
3 years ago

Looking for a Logo for my twin Organisation. Please help

  Reply

Steve Bohn
3 years ago

Great info. Thank you.

Have a contest running but struggling with using an abstract mark with
our company’s acronym or spelling out the name. In the industry, the
acronym is known – but trying to attract a wider audience. Any thoughts?

Company, IMT, is in MEMS industry (essentially semiconductors that act

as micro machines to sense and detect).

  Reply

Jamahl
3 years ago

That is a bit more of a branding concern more than logo design

(branding comes into that of course, but it’s more about
creating a visual mark. Creating the brand is more abstract and
involved). Some designers work with brand identity as well, but
you may want to consult with a marketing professional to do
research around what style of your business name will be more
memorable/resonate with your target audience.

OWEN CARVER
2 years ago

I used 99 designs to make my logo for my company

https://cafedoparaiso.com and I always refer back to this article when
thinking of branding elements and ideas. Thank you for the helpful
explanations!

  Reply

Gbolaga
last year

So awesome!

Hloni
2 years ago

This has been so helpful. Met up with a graphic designer and we spoke
over aspect about the logo I have in mind. The designer then asked I send
them a brief of what I want and images I have in place. After reading this
I’m more confident and will make sure to write a concise brief about the
work I need done. Very useful input on this blog

  Reply

Jamahl
2 years ago

Glad it helped

John
2 years ago

Excellent

  Reply

daniel
2 years ago

nice description

  Reply

Lightness
2 years ago

awesome! since I’m just starting my company, I prefer using wordmark. I

hope to advance to a combination mark later on.

  Reply

Troy
2 years ago

very helpful page

  Reply

Amit
2 years ago

Found this article very valuable to my research. Thanks a lot, Kelly Mor.

  Reply

gaudensia
last year

so nice article!

  Reply

Nubzles
last year

Thank you for sharing

  Reply

Arbaz
last year

Thanks for information!

  Reply

Danielle Mallett
last year

Great article!!

  Reply

Doriane Jully
last year

thank you very much Madame

  Reply

AMRITALAL SAHA
last year

educative article. i liked.

  Reply

Zulfikar Ali Khan

last year

Dear Sirs, To tell the truth! I’m really very grateful and convey thanks to
you for presenting such as instructive and cognitive subject which will be
a beacon for me and us as pave the way for learning education and
knowledge. Hopefully, this such kind best cooperation will keep remain
continued in future as well at the door of your open heart and mind at all
times. Best wishes of your all. Thanks a lot again.

  Reply

BARBARA PHILLIPS CFP

last year

I WANT TO USE A A FILLED IN OUTLINE OF MY HEAD AND

SHOULDERS
THE FILL IN COULD BE ALL WHITE
Q. WHAT IS THE NAME FOR MY TYPE OF LOGO?
(Mrs) Barbara Phillips CFP

  Reply

Antonia
last year

The type of logo you are looking for is a pictorial mark. If you’d
like your logo to include writing in combination with your
outline it would be a combination mark.

MD IMRAN HOSSAIN
last year

THANK YOU 99 DESIGN

  Reply

Kaysar
last year

Thanks Kelly,

Such a wonderful post. It will help me a lot. But I have a confusion. Can
you help me to clear it please. My confusion part is “can I design all these
7 types of logo on the photoshop? If I can’t then which of these are eligible
to design on photoshop?”

  Reply

Antonia
last year

Hey there! Photoshop isn’t suited for logo design because it is

used for raster images. Logos should be created using vector
software (such as Adobe Illustrator) to ensure the design is
scalable. Take a look at this article to read more about the
difference between raster and vector images.

HiIdon'thaveaname
last year

I am using this for design, It is really boring.

  Reply

RAYHAN HOSSAIN
last year

Very helpful

  Reply

Faisal
last year

How I can receive your every blog post

  Reply

krystinesap.ledason26
last year

how about robin sofer?

  Reply

Amar Yasir
last year

what a wonderful informative article.

  Reply

Sophia Chinery
last year

Very helpful…. Helped me teach my students on the types of Logo

  Reply

Antonia
last year

Glad to hear it!

Afsana
last year

Awesome work

  Reply

RTwanasinghe
last year

Great article! I learned a lot for

  Reply

DR. NISHIT DAVE

last year

Great article!
Very well explained.

  Reply

Parsa
10 months ago

meaning full detail.

  Reply

Anthony
10 months ago

this is very helpful starting a business.

  Reply

Grace
9 months ago

This was very educative…awesome, and indeed brilliant ideas!

  Reply

ze mike
9 months ago

it wasn’t really helpful

  Reply

Laura Mildner
9 months ago

Great article! Explains things very clearly!

  Reply

mananmalik
9 months ago

Awesome description and details…

  Reply

Haris khan
9 months ago

This imformation is very helpfull… love it.❣.

  Reply

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