A business logo is so much more than just a random design. It can show your customers what your brand means, what it is all about, and is also the answer to how you want to portray yourself. 

Let us take NBC’s logo for example. The image is obviously a peacock but the reason they picked a peacock is because at that time there were very few colored channels on the television. This means that a lot of people were still using black and white TV sets.

The amount of color that was in their logo along with their signature line ‘Proud as a Peacock’, was narrowed down upon in the hope of changing people’s minds about colored TV and getting them to switch.

The six feathers also resemble the six divisions at NBC.

You would not think the company’s logo has that much meaning to it but it does. It serves as a sense of purpose for the brand as well as a sense of belonging. The power of a great logo really cannot be underestimated. 

It can help your company bring in more customers, change the reputation and feel of your company, and even potentially help you make more money down the road. 

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In reference to that importance, let us go through a few of the most famous logo ideas that can hopefully serve as inspiration for you and your company.

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Brand Name Initials

Initials of the brand name are pretty self-explanatory. You would only use the first letter of each word in the brand’s name. It is a logo that becomes very distinct to that brand pretty quickly because of the design and format. A few good examples include-

  • PlayStation- The PlayStation logo is the signature standing P letter and the sleeping S letter. It is instantly recognizable and those two letters are enough to know which company you are buying. 
  • AOK Security– With security brands especially, you do not want something too informal or playful. This simple logo from AOK Security with the brand name initials is recognizable without being immature. 
  • McDonald’s– The big M from Mcdonalds is a signature part of their marketing strategy. You would find the logo sky high in the air a few miles before you actually got to the store and kids yelled with joy when it came within vision. It is and will always remain iconic. 

Pictorial marks

These are the logos that are 100% pictorial (only images) but you still recognize them because their logo has become a valuable part of their brand.

  • Apple- The simple bitten apple has become synonymous with Apple products over the years and you see the logo featured on every device. The logo is said to resemble the apple that fell near Issac Newton and led him to discover the concept of gravity. 
  • Nike– Nike’s well-known tick is extremely simple and minimalistic but it is associated with speed and power through the brand’s amazing marketing tactics. The logo has been derived from the Greek goddess Nike who is the Winged Goddess of Victory.
  • Twitter- The bird logo for Twitter signifies a bird tweeting away. This is also why every post on the platform is called a ‘tweet’.

Full Brand Name

Using your full brand name within your logo was one of the very first types of logos ever used and is still in effect to this day. It is extremely common but works like a charm every time.

  • Collecting Cents– The logo behind Collecting Cents is the very definition of a ‘full brand name’ logo. It has no frills, is completely legible, and uses only one stand-alone color
  • uSERP– uSERP, a link building company, uses their entire brand name within their logo in a very legible font which keeps things minimalistic and understandable. 
  • awesomex– Much like the collecting cents logo, awesomex is also a straightforward, legible, and simple logo that uses the full brand name type.

Animated Characters

Animated characters add an element of fun and childishness to the logo in most cases but there are also some logos that incorporate animated characters while maintaining the more formal look.

  • KFC- KFC’s classic logo with the founder of the brand Colonel Sanders featuring is well received by their customers because it conveys emotion and over the years has become instantly recognizable. It tells the history of the brand while also being fun and light.
  • Schwarzkopf- This is an example of a brand that has maintained the formal look and feel even after incorporating an animated character into the brand. Schwarzkopf prides itself as being a line of luxury hair products. The simple shadow character of a person is simple yet elegant.
  • Starbucks- The classic Starbucks logo that is the favorite of Instagram posts is an example of a logo that has managed to become even bigger than the product itself. The logo is recognizable, loved, and screams premium coffee. 

The emblem logo is most commonly used by Universities or formal educational institutes. It conveys a deep message in most cases and is often used by military agencies as well.

  • Harvard University- Harvard University’s logo includes three books, a shield, and the word Veritas. The logo is also used as a seal for legal purposes. The Latin word can be translated into English to mean ‘Truth’.
  • United States Army- The United States Army’s logo is a symbol of strength and defense. It conveys a lot of emotion for not just the people serving but for Americans in general.
  • Smith Thompson Home Security– The Smith Thompson logo is easy to read while still having an emblem logo aspect to it. It is not as straightforward as the other full name logos because of its use of the emblem and colors along with the brand name but it works perfectly for a security company that wants a more formal logo.

Abstract Logos

An abstract logo is a pictorial logo that is not recognizable as a known character or object. So, for example, with Apple, everyone knows what an Apple is but with abstract logos, the logo is often a geometric form of some kind or just a design.

  • Spire Health- Spire’s simple logo can be drawn without taking your hand off the paper. It is minimalist and subtle which works well for healthcare companies.
  • Preply- Preply is a language learning company that uses a simple red and blue logo whether it is on its website or in the app store.
  • Pepsi- The classic red, white, and blue Pepsi logo is completely abstract but still manages to have a lot of meaning. The colors represent the American flag while also having other, more subtle meanings. For example, the colors also resemble the golden ratio.

Hand-written logos use the font that resembles someone’s handwriting. They are very popular in the online community and new handwriting fonts come up almost every day.

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  • Blessed Home and Body- The Blessed logo is a predominantly online home and body store. The logo is extremely simple to create and you can easily create something similar using a graphic design software like Canva.
  • Olivia Design and Co.- This design company’s logo is another simple handwriting logo and is also predominantly online.
  • Benjamin Thorn Photography- The Benjamin Thorn Photography logo is actually  a mix between the handwriting logo and a normal font. This type of logo works nicely for websites or for someone who wants to start an online business. 

Combination Mark Logos

The combination mark logo is a logo that includes both lettermark or wordmark alongside a pictorial mark. Here are a few examples-

The combination mark is the best of both worlds since it includes not only the mascot or abstract logo but also the wordmark or lettermark associated with the brand.

Whether it is Redbull, Burger King, or Dropbox; all three of these brands have done that in their own separate way. 

Redbull uses the class bull logo alongside a very easily legible font- nothing fancy on that front. Burger King and Dropbox, on the other hand, have more abstract logos coupled with a wordmark.

Numerical Logos

Numerical logos use numbers within the design of their logo and the number is often also repeated in the brand name.

Multiple design companies tend to use numerical logos as part of their design since it screams innovation. The Five One Design’s logo is a prime example of this. 

That is not to say other companies shy away from this logo type. 99 Robots and One Plus Mobiles have also done an awesome job of incorporating numbers into their logo.

Lettermark Logos

Lettermark logos are simply another name for brand name initial logos. They work especially well for brands with long names. Here are some more examples-

Think about it, NASA’s entire non-abbreviated form is National Aeronautics and Space Administration which is an absolute mouthful. Abbreviating your logos can really help them become easier to read and understand for your customer. 

Wrapping it up

Finding the right logo for your brand is as important as creating a great website or having a good mission statement. It is one of the steps you take that will shape your brand and decide its future. 

Hopefully, these logo ideas gave you some much-needed inspiration to help you get started or atleast give you a few ideas to work around.

Photo by Devin Avery on Unsplash
Creator; Burkhard Berger, You can follow him on his path from 0 to 100,000 monthly visitors on www.awesomex.com.

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