A logo is the face of your business. It’s the first thing your customers will see when making a relationship with your brand. A good logo assures that your products or services stand out through their unique features and benefits. You have to think about many variables when considering the look of your logo. It needs to communicate what your business sells, as well as who you are as a company, what you stand for, and what consumers should expect from you. The colours you choose and the overall design must speak to consumers on multiple levels.

Logo styles can be divided into nine categories: 

1. Pictorial or Brand Marks Logo

2. Lettermarks or Monogram Logo

3. Letterform Logo

4. Wordmarks or Logotypes

5. Abstract Logo

6. Mascot or Illustrative Logo

7. Combination Mark Logo

8. Emblem Logo

9. Dynamic or Versatile Logo

Each type of logo serves a different purpose. Though there are several types of logos, each one of them is a combination of an image and typography. In this post, we describe how each of them is defined and explain when and why you should use them. 

1. Pictorial or Brand Marks Logo

A pictorial mark or brand mark (sometimes called logo symbol) is a standalone image, icon or symbol that represents the company or brand. The mark can be pictorial, representing a real-life object or an abstract shape. Pictorial mark is an immediately recognizable image and that has been simplified and stylized in a unique way. The biggest thing to weigh when deciding to go with a pictorial mark is what image to choose. This is something that will stick with your company’s entire existence.

When to use a pictorial mark?

Pictorial mark logos are clean-cut and easy to remember. If you offer a particular service, an image representing that will give quick and clear information to your audience. A true brand mark is only an image or icon. Because of this, it can be a complex logotype for startups or those without strong brand identification, to use. You need to first be established enough to be recognized, otherwise, your logo may not express enough about your business to your audience, and they’ll lose interest in your brand.