Different Types of Logos

Before you contact a logo designer to create your company logo you should inform yourself on the different types of logos there are. Didn’t know there was more than one type of logo? Many people don’t. The Curtoons Cartoon Company will try to provide you with a little insight into a few of the more popular styles of logo designs.

Look over the logo definitions below and examine the samples we have provided. This should give you enough information to help you guide your logo designer in creating the perfect design for your business.

These logo design examples are from the Curtoons portfolio which are mostly funny and cartoon logos. If you need this type of artwork for your identity please ask for a quote. Enjoy the designs!

I’m your logo design dude!

1) Wordmark – text logo
Text or word only logos are very popular and easy to create. A wordmark should be unique enough that other companies do not accidentally copy the design. The cost for a design like this might be lower than a logo with an additional symbol or character. Well known text logos include Google, Microsoft, Marlboro, Yahoo!, Kellogg’s, Sony and eBay.

2) Brandmark – abstract, graphic, icon logo
Nike might be one of the most famous abstract style of logos. Their very simplistic swoosh has been printed on millions of products and is recognized as the Nike logo even without any words or letters. Other famous brandmarks would be the Apple logo, Red Cross, Polo and McDonalds golden arches.

3) Lettermark – letterform, initial logo
Many major corporations like IBM, CNN, ABC and FedEx use a lettermark style of logo. These types of logo designs are very easily recognized and can be custumized more than most would think. Some can be very simple letters while others can actually form the logo itself.

4) Illustrative – pictorial logo
Illustrative logos are usually the most detailed style of design. Many times they look almost like a t-shirt design or technical illustration. These types of logos are fun but can run into problems when reduced very small and also with the number of colors involved. Pictorial designs work well on labels for foods and wines. They can also be the most expensive to create. A few well known illustrative logos include KFC (Colonel Sanders), Quaker and Starbucks.

5) Character – mascot, cartoon logo
We specialize in cartoon and character logos. These designs normally contain a funny mascot along with fun looking lettering for the company name. Most are in bright, inviting colors and each one can bring a smile to your clients. Famous character logos include Little Caesars, Tony the Tiger with Frosted Flakes, Mickey Mouse with Disney and others.

6) Emblem – seal, badge logo
An emblem style design might look like a badge or patch. These types of logos might be used on uniforms or on more official looking projects. Emblem logos are popular for sports related purposes, government entities and military branding. A circle shape is the easiest to turn into a seal or a patch. One of the most famous emblem logos is the Harley-Davidson logo.

7) Combination – any two or more of the other types of logos
The majority of logos fall into the category of combination logos. Most have wording and a symbol, letters and an icon, a character and wordmark or illustrations with text. Famous combination logos include Coca-Cola with its swish, Pepsi with its circle, Hot Wheels with flame, Dominos Pizza on a domino and the Pringles face with logo tie.