5 Types of Business Logos (with Examples)

If you’re looking to start a business, having a professionally-designed logo is extremely important. A logo is an essential part of any business’s branding strategy. It can help you to create brand awareness, make a good first impression, differentiate yourself from the competition, create a sense of identity, increase brand recall, and be used in marketing materials.

Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to launch a new startup, and as such, need some information about business logos, or a new graphics designer just learning about logo design, you’re at the right place. In this article, we will be discussing the 5 types of business logos in Nigeria, the pros and cons of using each, alongside some tips to help you effectively utilize your logo choice.

What are the 5 Types of Logos Used for Businesses in Nigeria?

Wordmark or Logotype

These logos consist solely of the company’s name in a distinctive font or typography. Examples include Coca-Cola and Google. Also known as logotype, it’s essentially a typographic treatment of a company’s name.

It relies on creative typography, custom lettering, and design elements to make the text visually interesting and representative of the brand’s personality. These logos can be elegant, bold, playful, modern, or any other style that fits the brand’s image.

Pros

• Simplicity: Wordmark logos are very easy to remember because it only contains the business name which is already something that people are familiar with.

• Clarity: Wordmark logos make it clear what the company name is, which is particularly beneficial for businesses that are new or operating in a niche industry.

• Versatility: A wordmark logo can be used in multiple contexts. It can be used on business cards, websites, social media, and even clothing. Also, it’s very resizable and adaptable to different color schemes without losing quality.

• Brand Recognition: Since the logo consists of the company’s name, it helps in establishing strong brand recognition. The name itself becomes associated with the brand’s products or services.
• Timelessness: If executed well, a well-designed Wordmark Logo can be timeless and not subject to the changing trends that can affect more complex logos.

Cons

• Lack of symbolism: Wordmark logos might lack a direct visual representation of the company’s products, services, or values, which can be a limitation in conveying deeper meanings. 

• Can be Difficult to Trademark: A wordmark logo may be difficult to trademark if the business’s name is not unique. This is because other businesses may be able to argue that they have a legitimate claim to the same name.

• May not be as Memorable as other Types of Logos: Wordmark logos are often less memorable than logos with images or symbols because people are a lot more familiar with shapes and symbols than they are with words.

• Dependency on Typography: The effectiveness of the wordmark logo heavily depends on the chosen font and typography. If not chosen thoughtfully, it might fail to communicate the brand’s intended personality.

Tips for using Wordmark Logos

• Choose a Unique Font: A wordmark logo is heavily dependent on typography, as such, the best font is always recommended. Select a font that reflects your brand’s personality. A tech company might opt for a modern, sleek font, while a luxury brand might choose an elegant and sophisticated one.

• Use a Tagline or Symbol: Again, since a wordmark is quite difficult to remember, you want to add a tagline or symbol to make it a little more recallable by your audience.

• Undergo Extensive Trademark Research: Before finalizing your Wordmark Logo, conduct thorough trademark research to ensure that your chosen name and logo are not infringing on existing trademarks.

• Ensure Consistency: Use the same version of the logo consistently across all branding materials to maintain a strong and unified brand image.

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Lettermark or Monogram Logos

In these logos, the initial letters of the company’s name are used to create a recognizable symbol. Examples include IBM and HBO.

Pros

• Simplicity and Memorability: A lettermark logo is typically very simple and easy to remember. This is because it only contains the business’s initials, which are already something that people are familiar with.

• Clarity and Brand Recognition: These logos are straightforward and convey the company name’s essence concisely. This clarity aids in building brand recognition.

• Professionalism and Versatility: A well-designed Lettermark Logo can add a touch of professionalism and sophistication to your brand, making it suitable for various industries. Also, it can be used in a variety of contexts; like business cards, websites, social media, and even clothing. 

• Privacy: If the full name of the company is lengthy or difficult to pronounce, using initials can be a more practical and accessible choice.

Cons

• Lack of Name Exposure and Limited Storytelling: Using initials means that the company’s full name isn’t directly represented in the logo, potentially leading to less immediate name recognition among new audiences. Also, without the full name, it can be challenging to tell a brand’s story, convey its industry, or showcase its value through the logo alone.

• It’s also difficult to Trademark: Being just initials, there’s always the risk of the logo being claimed by other businesses having a similar initial. 

• May not Effectively Communicate the Business’s Identity: A lettermark logo may not be as effective at communicating the business’s identity as a wordmark logo with a tagline or symbol. This is because lettermark logos typically do not contain any words, so they cannot communicate the business’s name or its values.

Tips for using Landmark Logos

• Choose the Right Initials: Select the most significant and recognizable initials for your company. If the initials are already associated with another brand or concept, it might create confusion.
• Creative Typography: Design the initials in a way that captures the essence of your brand. Consider customizing the typography to make them unique and memorable.
• Visual Symbolism: Incorporate subtle visual elements that relate to your brand’s industry or values. This can add depth and meaning to the logo.
• Color and Contrast: Ensure that the color and contrast of the initials allow for easy readability and recognition.
• Scale and Adaptation: Make sure the logo remains legible and recognizable even when scaled down or used in different contexts.
• Consistency: Use the same version of the logo consistently across all platforms to maintain a cohesive brand image.
• Trademark Research: Before finalizing your Lettermark Logo, conduct thorough trademark research to ensure that your chosen initials are not infringing on existing trademarks.
• Supplement with Full Name: In cases where initialism might not be immediately recognizable, consider using the full company name alongside the logo in certain applications.

 

Brandmark or Pictorial Mark or Logo Symbol

These logos use a recognizable image or symbol to represent the company. This symbol is designed to be instantly recognizable and memorable, conveying the essence of the brand without the need for accompanying text. This type of logo is commonly used by well-established brands that have achieved a high level of recognition; examples include the Apple logo and the Twitter bird (now X).

Pros

• Simplicity and Memorability: This type of logo features a simple and iconic design that’s easy to remember, making it ideal for creating a strong visual impression.

• Universal Appeal: Brandmarks knows no language or cultural barrier as it’s a simple design that’s universally understandable.

• Distinctive Identity and Longevity: Brandmarks give a business a unique identity aside from competitors making it easily recognizable in the crowded market. More so, it’s got the potential to stand the test of time as it’s bound to remain relevant even as design trends evolve.

Cons

• Initial Recognition Challenge: During the early stages of a business, having this logo can be a challenge as the symbol alone might not immediately convey the company’s name or industry, thus the brand will require additional marketing efforts.

• Brand Evolution Constraints: Over time, if a business decides to diversify, change focus, or name, the logo might not adapt well to the changes. We’ve seen the example of X rising from the Twitter Bird; this additional rebranding incurs more design and promotion expenses.

• Complex and Expensive to Create: The symbols used for this type of logo are often challenging to create especially for a beginner designer. Meanwhile, this cost is shouldered by the branding team, making them spend relatively more than they would when working with a wordmark or lettermark. 

Tips for using Brandmark Logos

• Simplicity: Keep the design simple and uncluttered. Aim for a clean and easily recognizable symbol that translates well across different sizes and contexts.
• Relevance: Ensure that the Brandmark is relevant to your brand’s identity, values, and industry. The symbol should create an immediate association with your business.
• Uniqueness: Strive for a distinctive symbol that sets your brand apart. Avoid using generic or overused symbols that might not resonate with your target audience.
• Color Selection: Choose colors that align with your brand’s personality and evoke the right emotions. Colors can significantly impact how your Brandmark is perceived.
• Adaptability: Consider how the Brandmark will appear in various color schemes, backgrounds, and contexts. Test its adaptability to ensure it remains effective.
• Consistency: Use the same version of the Brandmark consistently across all platforms to maintain a cohesive brand identity.

 

Combination mark

This type of business logo integrates a wordmark or lettermark with a distinct visual symbol. The logos combine text and imagery, creating a versatile logo that can be used together or separately. This combination can appear side by side, stacked, or with symbols integrated within the text; examples include Adidas and Burger King.

Pros

• Comprehensive and Memorable: Combination mark logos are a perfect blend of text communicating the brand’s name and symbol enhancing recognition. They can be very memorable because people are more likely to remember a logo that is both visually appealing and meaningful. 

• Element of Storytelling: The visual symbols allow for creative storytelling. It can visually convey aspects of a brand’s industry, values, or products 

• Effectively Communicates Brand Identity: A combination mark is more effective at communicating the business’s identity than a wordmark or lettermark logo because it can combine both words and images. The words can communicate the business’s name and values, while the images can communicate the business’s products or services.

Cons

• Complexity and Design Cohesiveness: Depending on the design, Combination Marks can be more complex than single-element logos, potentially making them harder to remember for new audiences. More so, ensuring that both the text and the symbol harmonize in terms of design, size, and spacing can be challenging.

• Can be Expensive to Design: Combination mark logos are typically more expensive to design compared to wordmark or lettermark logo as it requires more creativity and skill.

• Not Entirely Flexible: A combination mark logo may be more difficult to use in some contexts, such as on small business cards or in text-heavy documents.

Tips for using Combination Mark Logos

• Balanced Design: Create a balance between the text and the symbol. Neither should overpower the other; they should complement each other to create a cohesive design.
• Legibility: Ensure that the text remains readable even when scaled down. Avoid using fonts that are too intricate or difficult to decipher.
• Color Harmony: Choose colors that work well together and convey the right emotions for your brand. Consistent color usage will help in maintaining a unified brand image.
• Use a Clear Hierarchy: When designing a combination mark logo, it is also important to use a clear hierarchy. The wordmark should be the most prominent element, followed by the image.
• Consistency: Use the same version of the Combination Mark consistently across all platforms to maintain a coherent brand identity.

Emblem

Emblem logos have text enclosed within a symbol or badge-like designs popualar with educational instituions and sport organizations.. They often have a traditional, authoritative feel. It is a combination of text and symbol enclosed within a unified shape, often a border; examples include Starbucks and Harley-Davidson.

Pros

• Elegance and Authority: Emblem logos convey a sense of tradition, heritage, and authority due to their resemblance to official seals and crests.

• Gives a Sense of Tradition and Prestige: Most emblem logos give a sense of tradition and prestige because emblem logos are often associated with older more established businesses. If executed well, it can evoke a sense of nostalgia and history, connecting your brand to timeless values.

• Element of Detail and Symbolism: With emblem logos allow for detailed artwork and symbolism within the enclosed space enabling storytelling through visual elements.

Cons

• Complexity: The intricate design and detailed elements of Emblem logos can sometimes make them challenging to reproduce in small sizes or on certain materials.

• The Most Expensive to Design: Due to their complexity, they’re usually the most expensive to design among the five types of business logos in Nigeria.

• Not Very Flexible and Versatile: Emblem logos might not be as versatile as simpler logo types when it comes to adapting to different media or contexts.

Tips for using Emblem Logos

• Simplicity: While Emblem logos can be detailed, strive for simplicity in design to ensure that the logo remains recognizable and impactful.
• Hierarchy: Maintain a clear hierarchy between the text and the symbol. The text should be easily readable and not overshadowed by the surrounding elements.
• Color Harmony: Choose colors that complement each other and reflect the values and personality of your brand.
• Scaling Test: Make sure the logo remains legible and retains its details when scaled down. Test it across various sizes to ensure adaptability.
• Background Consideration: Keep in mind how the logo will look against different backgrounds. Ensure there’s enough contrast for optimal visibility.
• Consistency: Use the same version of the Emblem Logo consistently across all platforms to maintain a unified brand identity.

What Type of Logo is Best for a Business in Nigeria?

The truth is, there’s no perfect type of logo for any specific business niche. More so, the fact that a brand’s logo can have multiple versions representing the 5 types of logos means that picking one right type isn’t a real thing.

Ultimately, the best logo for your company is one that aligns with your brand’s identity and effectively communicates its essence to your target audience. It’s a good idea to work with professional logo designers who can understand your vision and help translate it into a logo that meets these criteria without minding how much it will cost to get your logo done.

Professional Logo Design Service

 

Why settle for a DIY logo when you can just have a professionally designed one that truly represents your brand?

At Web Design Nigeria, we know the importance of a memorable and brandable logo. Our experienced team of logo designers is readily available to work with you to create an effectively unique logo that makes your brand stand out from the competition.

Not only will this save stress and time, but it will ultimately pay off for your business, in the long run, to help you build trust and credibility with your prospects. Don’t settle for less, invest in your brand with w custom logo design today at WDN.

Good luck!