Logo Design Blog - Corporate Logo Design - Custom Logo Design

Are you the owner of a business looking to develop a logo? Are you a designer trying to create the perfect logo? Chances are that in the course of logo development you would have asked yourself if a symbol only logo would work better than one with the company name alongside.

There are a couple of facts to consider before deciding on a symbol only logo. The questions you should be asking yourself are:

1. Are you an established business with a strong brand identity?
If your answer is no, it would probably not be in your best interest to select a symbol only logo. The reason for this is quite simple really. As a small business or a start-up your primary aim would be to establish the name of your company. You would need to develop a custom logo design that combines well with both your Company Name, as well as the nature of your business — your expertise. A symbol only logo would not convey the name of the company and as such the viewer not knowing the name would not be able to make any further enquiries regarding the products or services on offer. A logo with a company name beside it establishes trust and credibility with the customer. The symbol forms the “visual” expression of company credibility. The name is the “verbal” confirmation of the same.

Both Mercedes and Shell were established in the early 1900s

Companies such as Mercedes and Shell (logos above) have established themselves as leaders in their businesses – over a hundred years old – and do not need to add their name to their logos due to brand recognition.

2. Can you define your business within a single symbol?
Most companies (even well established ones) would find it difficult to project the vision and essence of the organization within a single symbol. The goal of any logo is to be able to associate it with the nature of business. The goal of the symbol becomes all the more important as there is no company name or text to describe the business. As a designer the task of designing such a logo becomes even more difficult. Even if you are able to come up with a symbol which does just that:

• Will the observer interpret the symbol correctly?
• Will they understand the meaning of the symbol?
• Or will they be alienated?

There is a lot left to chance and in the current economic climate one cannot leave much to chance. One has to be confident that the consumer gets what the logo conveys without a shadow of a doubt.

The IBM logo is instantly identifiable. IBM also nicknamed “Big Blue” has simplified its logo and company name gradually over the years. What started as “International Business Machines” is now just “IBM”. In the early 70s the company introduced a new version of the logo to include horizontal stripes replacing the solid letters to suggest “speed and dynamism” thus encapsulating their vision of the company.

3. Is the symbol easily recognizable and memorable?
The symbol, apart from conveying the message, must also be instantly recognizable. An observer must be able to recall the symbol and replicate it with simple outlines: the mark of a perfect symbol only logo. Companies that use symbol only logos that are both recognizable and memorable usually have massive advertising budgets to back their decision by getting the word out in various media, across the globe if necessary. Logos such as those of Apple and Nike below are instantly identifiable as these brands have been developed over time and no longer have to be related to the actual company name.

Both Apple and Nike have annual advertising budgets close to $500 million dollars.

In short, it is not advisable to exclude a company name from a logo, especially for start-ups or small businesses. A company name alongside the logo symbol promotes the credibility of the company while depicting the company’s expertise at the same time.