Logo Variations with Intentional Brand Strategy
Have you ever tried to fit your business logo in places where they just don’t fit? Have you done collaborations or sponsored an event where you need to submit your logo for publishing? Due to limitations of the format of the publication, your logo came out super tiny, so tiny that you can’t even make out your own company name! Oh, I’ve been there and I’m sure you understand what I’m talking about. If not, just image a full-on logo on your website shrinking down to fit your Instagram profile image. Would that look good?
This is why it is very important to invest in a brand designer who can create a strategic brand for you. If you want a successful and elevated brand, you cannot just pay someone to design a one-off logo. You can at first, but you will find that as your business grows, your logo will be used in more places, which will require different logo variations. A full brand design and strategy investment would include a suite of logos to meet those growing needs. Your brand looks more professional and it will serve you more effectively in the long run with intentional branding.
There are 3 main logo variations all businesses should have.
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Primary Logo
This is your main logo. It is used on your website, business cards, and other brand collaterals. Sometimes it incorporates your EST year and tagline.
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Secondary Logo
It is an alternative to your primary logo with the design elements arranged in a different composition. It is often a simplified version of your main logo. You need this alternate logo where space is limited and using your primary logo won’t be legible. This can also be used on promotional products for your business.
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Submark
A submark is a very compact version of your logo and where you can use in your social media, as a watermark (I’m thinking of you photographers!), or on subsequent pages in your brand collaterals where you don’t need a primary logo on every page.
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There are also other logo variations that are worth mentioning for your business.
Stacked Logo
If your primary logo is horizontal, you might want to have a stacked logo handy. It is the vertical or square version of your main logo. This is especially useful if you are only allowed a square space on a sponsored ad, as an example.
Element or Icon
If your primary logo has a graphic element, it is useful to pull that out to create icons of them. Icons generally don’t include words, just the design element. Icon logos should be used as a supplement to your branding and in accompany with the main logo. These are great to use with your main logo and also great for social media such as Instagram highlight covers. Some people also use an element logo for their website favicon.
Lettermark Logo or Monogram
Consider this logo variation if you have a long business name. Condensing your business name into initials will help simplify your design and likewise customers will have an easier time remembering your business and logo.
The Single-Color & Reversed-Out Logo
If your main logo has more than one color, ask her brand designer to create single color options for you. That way you are ready for one-color printing. You might also want a reversed color logo for darker color backgrounds.
I hope you find the explanation of these logo variations helpful. They have to work together to create a cohesive, professional and memorable brand for you. Are you ready to get serious about your branding and want to be intentional with it for the long run? I would love to hear from you to see how we can work together to make that happen!
