Graphic Design Basics - The 5 Basic Types of Logo

Logos can be categorised into 5 basic types. In this video, I run through these categories.
I give examples of existing brand logos that fall into each category along with information on why you would choose to use specific categories for your own logo.
#logotypes #logobasics #logocategories
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[@ochenjonah]

7 years ago its still serving clean, clear and straightforward .

[@RockYourBrand]

Crazy that this video is now 7 years old!!

[@akala_ayodeji]

Love your calmness, communication skill is lit. Glad I found this channel

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks Akala, I really appreciate the kind comment :)

[@sien_visuals6394]

Love how slowly and calmly you passed the info ❤

[@dggd]

Wow...I can't thank you enough. I really appreciate your sharing of knowledge and breakdown of specifics to creating wisely. Your clear, concise explanations have broadened my perspective in many areas that I took for granted, and quite frankly, didn't even know. Much appreciation and respect for you. You're the best. Thanks again.

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey, thanks so much for the great feedback. Really happy that you are finding all the content useful :) Stay Creative! Col

[@crazysongs6852]

nice video.... 😊

[@austinakomah-mordi6389]

Great presentation, sir. Where was I all these years. Thanks a million.

[@HebrewMadeEasy]

1. symbols- basic iconic type 2. wordmarks 3. lettermarks 4. combination 5. emblems thank u so much for a great video!

[@tjbrenna]

I like the breakdown. Most symbols started off as combinations and after they built up considerable brand equity the name wasn't needed any longer.

[@adityaheblikar]

Thanks for a neat presentation on types of logos!

[@nassemalsabah5610]

Thank you, good examples.

[@szvulun]

Well done ! Thanks for a great explanation.

[@RockYourBrand]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@nicoladonnelly2472]

Great videos, Col! Slick presentation too! I will be logo spotting everywhere I go!

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks Nicola. I'm always scanning for logos wherever I go :)

[@percycherian3503]

thank you! To the point, simple and informative enough.

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks for watching Percy.

[@flowerpower2448]

Awesome!

[@howardmathews5572]

You're one of the few who's content is awesome and of quality.

[@RockYourBrand]

Thank you so much Howard. That really means a lot.

[@MartinHuntbach]

Really REALY great information Col! Thanks

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks very much Martin. I'm glad you found that useful.

[@motivatedbrands]

Great video!!

[@dalitsobotha7932]

Well explained! Thank you!

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment 🤘

[@trainingrepublic5809]

Short a sweet thanks, helps with understand client briefs

[@durbansaladyinaccra2173]

Thank you, this was very helpful sir.

[@fje04]

Thanks very useful, well explained

[@emranemtiyaz238]

Thank you for the explanation, sir

[@foreverastudent8258]

This was an amazing presentation. Thank you from 🇯🇲Jamaica

[@yaseenarackal3654]

well done sir!! 🙏 no more words to explain.. 👏👏👏

[@fowley4506]

1 year on and you're still helping folk out. Cheers lad :)

[@RockYourBrand]

Cheers Ryan. Feels like 10 years. Haha

[@rinasabach]

Thanks for the explanations about the different types of logos! Really helped to understand

[@RockYourBrand]

Thank you. This is one of my very first videos. Its great to know that it is still helping people :)

[@finnscheringa5415]

Thanks! Helps with my internship.

[@yafehhershey3994]

Just discovered your channel yesterday and found such good and unique content (already subscribed). It's a shame that you slowed down with your content lately, the world needs people like you. As a beginner what's an easy way how to create a symbol/emblem/letter out of different colors? I have no graphic design experience and was wondering if there was an easy way to do this?

[@sandramendo7953]

GREAT JOB

[@tsegamesfin9210]

THANK YOU!

[@kripakhadka202]

Thanks!! It helped me in my 3DI homework!!

[@abhishekbhatti8383]

Thank For the explanations Very Nice.

[@RockYourBrand]

Thank you Abhishek :)

[@mohmuti6795]

thankyou so much for such a wonderful knowledge gaining vedio

[@RockYourBrand]

You are welcome. Thanks for watching :)

[@elleon1207]

Thank you for this.

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks mate :)

[@Mujcanal]

Great ! Thanks

[@RockYourBrand]

Thank you.

[@kevinqueen6246]

Very clean and professional presentation, so great! I am thinking about tackling this issue with a logo(s) that will be easily placed in hundreds of places, multi-branding where each target audience is offered a different story (POV) to get them in the door. Have you ever delt with that, and what are your thoughts?

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey Kevin, Thanks for watching and giving me feedback. It sounds like quite a complex scenario you have there but could be amazing if you pull that off. I've heard of brands using different messages to target a different buyer persona type, but it didn't go as far as creating different logos for each of them.

[@kainaatzulfiqar1900]

So helpful. Thank you.

[@RockYourBrand]

I'm really glad that you found the information useful :)

[@hemchand3923]

you will surely grow as you are providing this valuable information.

[@RockYourBrand]

+Hem Chand thank you 🙂

[@msharif4634]

Hay, man you are the greatest!

[@smotkaskotka]

Thank you for the great presentation! I would put BMW in "Lettermarks" category. It as an abbreviation of "Bayerische Motoren Werke", on the other hand the logo itself is recognizable even without letters. :)

[@workplace7465]

awesome

[@ButImSerious]

Very useful! my clients always ask what I mean when I say what type of logo would you like! I now have a conversation opener. (0.0)

[@RockYourBrand]

Excellent. Great to hear that this will be useful for you🤘

[@nacksido367]

Good stuff

[@ayuquinn8689]

Thank you

[@AlienParkourZone]

quality content, thanks a lot!

[@RockYourBrand]

Thank you Uniflo, it is very much appreciated that you took the time to leave a comment 🤘

[@andrijajoksimovic4849]

majestic beard sir

[@manofaction4331]

Thanks wonderful concept :)

[@RockYourBrand]

Cheers, Man of Action :)

[@abdelrahmanmahmoud4635]

Big love from Egypt

[@alimirzaee7014]

Really great presentstion

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks Ali. Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment :) Stay Creative! Col

[@lifestone7205]

Thank you! This helped a lot :)

[@RockYourBrand]

Awesome. Thanks for taking the time to leave your comment :)

[@abuarbaa4583]

best explanation so far

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks Bendul. I'm glad you found it useful :)

[@alphiome]

Thank you! You cleared my mind!

[@RockYourBrand]

Awesome. Glad it helped you Anthony.

[@danielmuriithi8486]

@@RockYourBrand I just wanted to say, great video but how do you know when to use what category for logo design. Sorry if it didn't come out right, I'm a beginner

[@RockYourBrand]

Hi Daniel, Many times when i start a logo design project, I don't know what type of logo I am going to end up with. It is best to just start sketching out ideas for a logo and see what ideas work the best. Rather than starting off and saying "Okay, I am going to do a combination mark logo, or a wordmark". You will limit your thinking process doing it that way. When you start, let your mind be open to all possible logo categories :)

[@danielmuriithi8486]

@@RockYourBrand Thanks, I've checked out your channel and your explanation is way better than most teachers, your knowledge is just what i needed to kick start my logo design career. You just got a new sub

[@premamrita]

An eye opener very good explanation .learnt new things :-)

[@RockYourBrand]

Awesome. Thanks for the comment Prem :D

[@jean-francoiscol4133]

Good job! Cannot be more clear than what you have explained :0)

[@RockYourBrand]

Thank you, your feedback is really appreciated :)

[@manishrathod2228]

good information...☺️☺️👍

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks Manish :)

[@lkevinl35]

Thank you.

[@vibhore48]

Loved your explanation... crystal clear! I really like your logo "pixels ink", which category it comes under : combination or emblem? & why?

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey there. I have two versions of my logo, the first is a word mark that simply says 'pixels ink' using the font Lobster. The second I would class more as a monogram where I have taken the 'p' and the 'i', and combined them together. I wanted my logo to be very, very simple. I didn't feel that I needed something overly designed, even though my first instinct was to do so. As a logo designer, my logo should be really complex and have a lot of design gone into it right? That is how I started out, but then came to the realisation that all I need is for people to remember the name of my business, the logo work I do for others will be what builds my reputation for design, not the work I did on my own branding. I hope that helps explain things :)

[@sundrstnis3159]

very educative thank you sir

[@RockYourBrand]

You are welcome. Thanks for watching :)

[@vineetvishwakarma2499]

Well done! This really helped! I also have a question. Which type of logo would be preferable for a manufacturing company?

[@johnjeffersongaro8825]

done, nice vid

[@princeobed3143]

thanks I find it helpful

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks mate for taking the time to leave a comment. It means a lot :) Stay Creative! Col

[@malinirajendran523]

Hi, like your videos and analysis. What do you think of logo designs that just appear intuitively literally pop out at you and then no matter what you do the one keeps coming back. It's like the logo design has taken over the idea all on its own. And some how just feels right. When that happens I go with it. But now watching your videos I'm now having doubts. Should I bring a second or outside opinion on them.

[@RockYourBrand]

Great question. I find that the crucial part here is the research stage. if you've done extensive and good research before you start working on your concepts, then there is a good chance that your early designs will be exactly what is required. If I have read your post correctly, it looks like you've put the logo design to the side and tried to work on other ideas but that one idea keeps rising to the top. That to me sounds like you've hit on what could be the right concept. Getting an outside opinion is never a bad thing, as long as you are getting it from the right people. Ones that understand design and who you've given details of what the design brief was. It is natural to have doubts, but as I say, if you have put in all the groundwork then the chances are that your doubts are unwarranted :) Stay Creative! Col

[@khondokartouhid9404]

great explanation sir, today learned a lot of things about logo

[@boblenndotart]

Thanks! learned so much about this. :)

[@RockYourBrand]

You are most welcome :)

[@puresoulhealth9404]

Top video, thank you for making it seem easy.

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks for taking the time to comment and I'm glad you foud it useful.

[@josefo-oo4jl]

Wow i learned a lot!

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey, thanks joesfim. Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment :) Cheers, Col

[@Arohan71]

Watched this twice and took notes on my second watch. I am curious how you go about deciding what particular grouping you might want to choose as fitting for the company and their industry? It makes sense you might want to be careful about doing a combination mark for a small company that hasn't had time to market their brand to a broad base and that if you're doing something like a large company that has a global brand you're probably gonig to lean harder on the symbol design, but what about the others?

[@RockYourBrand]

I don't really set aside a specific logo style for businesses. The right one will present itself as I go through the research phases of a logo project. For one small business it could be a wordmark that is perfect for them, for another, an emblem. It all comes down to the audience, the product or service, the brand's story, the brand's history and so on. Every brand is different so the criteria for what category of logo will suit them best also changes :)

[@Arohan71]

That makes sense. A junior CG artist marketing their name is going to have very different needs for their logo and their potential customer base than say an RPG start up. So like most things it comes down to the needs of the specific company, industry and brand. Thank you.

[@amrahmed5554]

When I design a logo for someone, do I offer different types of logo or anything that comes back to me and my choice

[@foyezahmed1472]

Thank you so much

[@RockYourBrand]

You are very welcome :)

[@erikschaepers]

Great explanation, thanks ! Just to mention, we pronounce it "Ah-di-das" with stress on the first syllable

[@RockYourBrand]

I shall remember that for for future pronunciation. I think *says it aloud in head* I pronounce it ah-DEE-das. I will hopefully get into the habit of saying it in the way you have written it out Erik. Thanks :)

[@israrmalik4336]

piza hut was combition logo , is there was circule aroud it or closed shaped . will it turn into emblem

[@RockYourBrand]

Yes, generally when the name and icon/symbol are enclosed inside a shape it becomes and emblem :)

[@bangerbest2720]

Thanks

[@dreamad8996]

Great Work! Sir!

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks Dream Ad :)

[@dreamad8996]

You are welcome!

[@shareinfinitysmile5865]

Combination logos I need know more information about it ..I saw ur colours information.. it's very useful

[@stephenbarrett7028]

How's it going man? I'm just wondering whether a one-colour logo, still counts as a one-colour logo, when you have shades/tints of that specific colour within the logo. For example, a black fading out to grey.

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey Stephen, great question. My initial instinct was to say that yes, it is still 1 colour. But, if you look at different sources, where some say black is and isn't a colour and the same for white, it makes me wonder if there is a simple yes / no answer. One way that it would definitely remain one colour in terms of a tint, would be to print as a halftone. So for example, you could have artwork using a spot colour like Pantone 201 and have it at 100% and 50%. That would still be one colour. If however, you wanted to make a shade, you'd need to add black ink, so does that make it a 2 colour job. I'm going to have to look into this a bit more, but I get the feeling that different people are going to heavily argue for different answers.

[@stephenbarrett7028]

Pixels Ink I was thinking the exact same thing. I read many different opinions on the matter online and it was tough to get a straight answer. Anyway, thanks a mill for replying. Appreciate it.

[@firdologo]

Hi, can you explain the difference between a pictorial logo and an abstract logo? Thank you

[@RockYourBrand]

From my perspective, a pictorial logo is a logo that clearly shows something. E.g. a bird, an aeroplane, a bicycle. An abstract logo is just that, an abstract shape that doesn't resemble a specific thing.

[@ruleaus7664]

Thanks! This was very helpful as I'm doing research to prepare to design my very first logo for a small T-shirt business. I can't quite decide between a wordmark or combination logo. All but one of the clothing companies I've looked at have used boring-looking wordmark logos with plain black font (Hollister was the only one to use a combination). I assume there must be a reason for this.

[@RockYourBrand]

Rick Schmidt there can be many reasons that wordmarks are common in that area of business. One reason could be that they feel it is what their customers are attracted to, or that as others are using wordmarks, they should too. As you have pointed out, few use combination marks or emblems, so this may well be a good opportunity for your brand to stand out and be different. Thanks for watching the video and commenting :) Cheers, Col

[@ruleaus7664]

Spoke a little too soon. Starting to see more variety now (Under Armour). I do want to stand out, so I think I'll go with a combination logo so I can make a unique symbol to go along with the name.

[@RockYourBrand]

Sounds like a good plan Rick. Great to see you are doing some solid research into the industry.

[@c.m.s5071]

What category would my company logo be in? I'm thinking on having a logo for the studio itself.

[@RockYourBrand]

Your current logo is a wordmark. If you were to create a logo for the studio you have free reign as to the type of logo you could have. You just need to look at who you are targeting the studio at, look at other studios branding and decide where you want to fit (or not) in that area.

[@ANCIENTWISE]

How about the HP (four vertical lines) new logo ? Isn’t it just brilliant?

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey Ari, I remember seeing the new HP logo back in 2011 when it was announced but was then quickly disappointed when HP decided not to move forward with it. It looks though, that since HP has now split into two divisions that one of them is looking to be a bit more radical and utilise the new logo. I personally love it and think it is a great evolution of the 'standard' HP logo. Stay Creative! Col

[@Jesse7sim]

Thank you mr ..?? your videos are awesome ... hope you do some live streaming once in a while =) got a lot of questions in GD... hehe keep on making awesome videos ...

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey Jesse. I do plan on sorting out some live streams this year but I need to get my internet connection working a bit better as it doesn't like streaming at the moment :)

[@waawamoha7171]

Thnks pro

[@jayadityakotwal3930]

Im trying to work out a new logo for my city in India which has been chosen among a few other cities to be converted into a smart city. What kind of approach should i be looking at???

[@RockYourBrand]

The first thing I'd be doing is researching the logos of other cities around the world. Especially other smart cities. Look to see if they have similarities and find out if there is an opportunity to make your logo different. I'd think you would probably be best off with a combination mark as you'll want to produce an icon or symbol, but also have the name of the city in there as well. Stay Creative! Col

[@akdesign6]

Hello, I would like to ask you about Facebook logo, it's like combination mark but also have lettermark and wordmark, right?

[@RockYourBrand]

The Facebook logo is a wordmark/logotype. It doesn't have an icon or symbol next to the wordmark so it isn't a combination mark :)

[@callowpicasso2089]

what would Sprint, or Verizon be? combination? how about your logo emblem or combination

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey, The Sprint and Verizon logos are indeed combination marks. I have two versions of my pixels ink logo, I have a wordmark and also an Emblem version with pi inside a circle. Thanks for watching and for your question. Stay Creative!

[@egyptian908]

Super Like

[@taiinhuc]

thank you

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks for watching :)

[@kristinakristinity7447]

thanks a lot)

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks for watching and commenting Kristina.

[@hoseinfattahi6858]

Hello, which type of logos are fit for local and infamous works that start recently???

[@RockYourBrand]

It really depends on the type of business and how they want to be perceived rather than how new or unknown they are.

[@justinbelzile3661]

I'm still confused about emblems/combinations...Let's say the text is encapsulated within a shape like a shield...but they can sometimes be split up...such as the shield standing on it's own...is that still an emblem? Or a layered overlapping combination mark?

[@RockYourBrand]

For me, the whole point of creating an emblem/crest logo is so that the elements can be combined into a shape where it is suitable for all purposes. The only time I'd split things off would be to use as branding assets. not sur eif you watched this live stream, but I go into more detail on the different types of logos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYGnaYWJqNuDp8U

[@jabezberhanu1069]

Thus is really wonderful. But I wanna ask if there are other exceptional logos which didn't fit in the categories?

[@RockYourBrand]

Hi Jabez, Thanks so much for commenting and watching the video. I think all logos will fit into one of those 5 categories. If you have an example of one that you think doesn't fit, please drop a link to it :) Cheers, Col

[@midnightdew]

Great content! I am a total beginner in this domain, I love to draw but i don t earn much. Even if this is new for me, i love drawing logos by hand. What do you recommend first for a beginner who wants to study logo art? Books? Learning Illustrator then practice creating already known logos? I am a bit overwhelmed and don t know where to start. I intent having a career in this field. A thought from you would help me... Thankies!

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey there Roua. Everyone learns differently, but a good place to start would be the book Designing Brand Identity by Aline Wheeler. It is a fantastic book and it will show what is involved in creating not just logos, but brand identities. Logo design is about problem solving, and by reading this book it will open your eyes to the world of identity design. I'd then suggest taking a look at some logo design courses on Skillshare. Use this link and you'll get a 2 week free trial of Skillshare. That should give you time to watch a few courses :) pixels.ink/skillshare

[@mentorbaba1803]

Is it ok to make a combination mark logo for a new startup?

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey mate. Yes, there is nothing stopping you from using a combination mark for a startup :)

[@tomideolajide5097]

Hello, nice video you've given to the world. Thanks Col. but there is a question i will love to ask, what makes a logo versatile

[@RockYourBrand]

Hi Tomide, Thanks for watching and in answer to your question I'd say there are a few things: The simpler the design the more versatile the logo will be. The more elements and complexity you add to a logo the more difficult it will be to utilise it in different situations on screen and in print. Your logos should work in black and white as well as in colour. Also, try not to design a logo that follows current design trends as these will date very quickly and before you know it, you'll be needing to create a new updated version. Try to make your logo designs timeless. I hope that helps.

[@tomideolajide5097]

Thanks Col, i will try my best to make my logo simple and timeless. Col, please i will love to request that you mentor me in this aspect of graphic design. Please, i will be looking forward to hearing a good response from you. I can be contacted on [e-mail]

[@annemena8465]

Great video! One of the most helpful so far Thank you :)

[@RockYourBrand]

Thanks so much for the feedback Anne. This is one of my earliest videos and it is by far my most successful. I'm thinking of doing an update of it now that I'm a lot more relaxed speaking to camera :)

[@R_HeavyBones]

you are really cool and you explain things very well ... if i had to fix something is the sound , it could be better if it was a bit higher .. thanks a lot , you got a new subscriber :D

[@RockYourBrand]

Yeah, not sure why I'm suddenly getting comments about audio being too low when I haven't had any about audio for over a year :/ Not sure if something has happened which has resulted in my videos suddenly having their volume reduced. I'll make sure levels are higher on all my new videos. Thanks for watching and for the feedback :)

[@R_HeavyBones]

you maybe didnt have that many comments about audio because your audience was small or they didnt actually cared about you , but here we are now helping you out :D

[@RockYourBrand]

yeah, could well be. Definitely getting a lot more viewers and comments and ALL feedback is very much appreciated. Currently uploading this weeks video and hoping that the audio comes out okay. Let me know how it sounds if you watch it. Cheers Col

[@goshgarnuriyev3440]

Hello! Great job. We have a notification app that we called hüthüt (hoopoe). what tipe of logo I have to create for this?

[@RockYourBrand]

There is no specific type of logo that you have to create, the choice is really up to you. I'd suggest though, that as it is an app, you will probably want to go for a symbol or emblem. The reason being that you will need to have an app icon and so a wordmark is probably not going to be suitable. Stay Creative! Col

[@goshgarnuriyev3440]

Thank you very much!

[@dennisrainsingh7299]

I am too hard to make a different wordmark logo and combination... what must i do to made it one logo at fast time? Isn't it need to take long progress? Cause i just design in computer, not using a manual type by pencil and letter book

[@RockYourBrand]

You can start designing straight away on a computer but it will be a much slower process when it comes to exploring your idea. Creating logos isn't about being as fast as you can at it, it is about delivering the best solution for your client. In order to deliver that best solution, you need to know that you have explored all possible solutions. You can't rush perfection :)

[@dennisrainsingh7299]

Pixels Ink i see :D...alright, thanks sir for the solution. I will tried the best and happy creative

[@RockYourBrand]

No problem Dennis. Good luck with your design journey :)

[@dennisrainsingh7299]

Pixels Ink your welcome sir 😊

[@Anicanofficial]

Can you tell something about the minimalist logo designing

[@RockYourBrand]

Hey Muskan, I'll definitely note that down as a future topic.

[@artofmuhammaderfan582]

Need a video about the different styles of logo design

[@IamNtombizandile]

wow, thank you so much for this information.

[@RockYourBrand]

You are very welcome Zhan.

[@thejeswarreddymula8786]

don't you think there is also one another category, which are made from photos like the Apple inc's first logo with tree and USPA polo players and KFC Colonel Sanders which are almost don't fall in any of the above five categories.

[@RockYourBrand]

Yes, I'd class those as illustrative logos which are more complex and intricate. I do actually have it on my list of to-do videos to cover this topic. It will be comparing illustrative logos and iconic logos. Thanks for bringing this up Thejeswar. I might just move this one up the list a bit. Stay Creative! Col