Logo Variations-Why Does My Brand Need Them?
If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or designer looking to create and establish your brand, then this post is for you! Hopefully, you have already started brainstorming some ideas for your business name, brand colors, and your brand logo- or at least have given it some thought. Since we're on the topic of branding, we're just going to assume that you have done your due diligence in registering your business name properly- before even considering the following. With that being said...let's continue on to branding and the purpose of this blog- which is learning the difference between logo variations.
The word branding tends to be used loosely at times but in a nutshell, "branding" is how you tell one product from another--both in terms of physical traits (e.g., size and color) but also personality (e.g., what does Nike feel like versus Adidas?). After reading those names Nike and Adidas, I am sure you can already envision their logo and brand in your head. That should be the reaction you want from your customers and potential customers when they hear and see your brand too.
When it comes to branding and developing your logos it's important to remember that you don't want to have logo variations that are too similar, but you want variations that are going to represent your brand in various marketing settings. You should also remember when considering logo design, it's important to stay true to your brand personality.
Your Brand “Logos” (notice I said logos and NOT logo) are a set of graphic elements that helps your audience identify your brand. Typically there are 3 main individual logotypes that should be included in your brand logo elements. The primary logo is the most important element because it helps create more awareness of your brand while the submark and secondary logos can be used to express different parts of your brand identity.
A lot of designers may not tell you this but when it comes to your logos, variation is key, as each design piece has its own set of functions:
Let's start with the primary logo. The primary logo is the most used and recognizable of the design elements in your branding. It is the only one that is used to differentiate your brand from competitors most often. The primary logo sets the tone for your branding and is what helps create awareness of who you are, so essentially it should be used on the majority of your branding and marketing materials.
A secondary logo (also known as an alternative logo) provides an alternate representation for your brand while still maintaining legibility with any other type of logo you might have. It should never be confused with your primary logo and is often used as a supplement to the logo that you already have. You can use the secondary logo in marketing places such as your logo on advertisements, business cards, and letterhead where you have less space to use the primary logo.
A submark logo is used as an extension to help show some of the personality behind your brand, while a secondary logo might just be there to fill in space or express one aspect of your company's identity. The use of the submark logo creates an additional way for people in a certain market or industry to identify themselves which can help them stand out from their competitors. It should only be used inside of your business and not on its own outside of its product range sets. ( ie. stationary, internal email signatures, etc).
Additionally, variations on these logos can come in many forms, including one color variant as well as scaled or rotated variations to better suit different digital spaces like mobile devices or social media icons for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for instance.
So, now what? You’ve got the business name, you know your audience and you have a general idea of what you want to say. Now it’s time for the most important part of your branding - creating logo designs that will connect with your audience and represent your brand exceptionally. Your logo is the face of your business. It should be able to adapt and speak with different audiences without losing its visual appeal. Your company's logo needs to represent a single image that can transcend many platforms in order for it to effectively reach all customer demographics, but you don't want every application where it appears (a billboard, Twitter header) looking drastically different from each other because doing so will make customers question what they're seeing or hearing - do we trust this brand? Does it change depending on how much money someone gives them? Is there some key element I'm missing here? If any of still still sounds confusing or intimidating, don't worry! We're here to help make sense out of all this jargon so that you can create a cohesive branding experience for yourself. Our team is here if you need any logo work done or advice about which type would suit your company best.
Recap Questions:
Q: When/where do I use my primary logo?
A: The primary logo typically is what will be on your website and in brand collateral items, but depending on the orientation of your logo and layout of the navigation menu a secondary or stacked logo might work better.
Q: When/where do I use my secondary/alternative logo?
A: The secondary logo is arranged differently than the primary, making it perfect for when you need a different orientation. Also, it’s generally a simplified version of the primary which means in cases where size matters; like presentations or print material.
Q: When/where do I use my submark logo?
A: The submark is the most compact version of your logo and can be used in a variety of ways. It often appears as either an icon or watermark on social media pages, which helps to identify who it belongs to. The small size makes them perfect for use anywhere; you could even make one into a profile picture!
