Wordmark or Symbol?

You have just finished going over the design brief for a new client.  As you are going through the design brief you start asking yourself whether the logo should be a wordmark or a symbol.  This question can be challenging; luckily there are some general rules of thumb that can help you in answering this question.

The Definition of a Wordmark and a Symbol

Wordmark

You may be asking what exactly is a wordmark.  A wordmark is a logo made up of just type.  Think of companies such as Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo.  None of these companies use a symbol as their primary logo.

Symbol

A symbol in terms of logo design is a unique icon, pictorial in nature, that represents the company and is usually the primary logo.  Symbols can be stand alone such as Apple, Shell, and Nike or they can by accompanied by text such as Pepsi, Bic and att.

When to use a Wordmark

If you have been paying attention you may have noticed a pattern that tells you the answer.  In the above examples, look closely at the names of the companies.

Think you figured it out?  Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo all have one thing in common.  They are unique words.  The words only have one meaning; the name of the company.  What is a Sony? What is a Google, a Microsoft, a Yahoo etc.

It is often common that companies that have a unique name to use a wordmark as their logo because their name is unique enough not to be confused with any other meaning.

When to Use a Symbol

Now take a look at the names of the companies with symbols as their logo.  You can eat an apple, you can find a shell on a beach and Nike is the Goddess of Victory.

Companies that use a symbol as their primary mark typically have a company name that is a normal word that would be used in everyday speech.

The word apple doesn’t name a company, it names a fruit.  However, the symbol that Apple uses identifies the the company as Apple and is unique.

Notice that Microsoft is just the word Microsoft, but their operating system, Windows, is a common word and thus needs a unique symbol.

When to Use Both

Companies such as Pepsi, Bic and att use a combination of type and a symbol.

Pespi is a unique word in itself but the root of Pepsi is pepsin, which is used to help calm indigestion. (Pepto Bismol, Dr. Peppe etc.)

Bic is also the name of the co-founder of Bic, Marcel Bich.  Att is an acronym and could be confused with other acronyms with the same initials.  Both of these companies benefit from using a symbol that enables them to strengthen their identity as unique.

In Conclusion

When designing a logo one of the first steps is deciding whether to use a wordmark or a symbol.  A general rule of thumb is to use a symbol if the company is a common word such as apple, shell etc. or if the word has a double meaning such as Nike.

A wordmark is a possible direction if the company name is a unique word in itself such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Sony.

When in doubt use a symbol along with type and remember the rules are meant to be broken but make sure you understand the rules to know how to break them.

Related Posts:

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2. What is a Logo and Logo Design