Logos are essentially symbols or designs that portray an organization’s brand. While there are a variety of different types of logos that businesses can choose from, some might wonder if a logo that consists of just words can be enough to represent your brand.
Can a logo be just words? While there are many ways to design a logo, a logo can be just words. A logo that only consists of words is called a “wordmark” logotype and utilizes typography and font to create a brand’s visual identity through text.
While a logo can be just words, a logo that consists of only words will not necessarily look as simple as you might imagine. There are still many ways to make a wordmark logo stand out. The remainder of this article will discuss this further below.
Can a Logo Consist of Only Words?
While there are many kinds of logos, a logo can absolutely consist of only words. A logo designed out of only words is called a wordmark logo. it can be a great choice when it comes to branding your business. In fact, more logos than you might realize, consist of only words.
Logos are used to associate your brand with a small image or emblem. Good logos should be simple, scalable, versatile, and relevant (Paper Street). You can meet these requirements by designing a logo consisting of just words.
Just because words on a page appear uniform and dull does not mean that with a little creativity, you can create a unique, smart logo design that consists of just letters. While it is possible that a logo can be too simple or boring to represent your brand, there are still many ways to take mere words and turn them into an icon.
So do not think a logo cannot successfully portray your brand just because it consists of only words.
There are many ways to customize a wordmark logo in order to make a brand stand out. Below is a more in-depth look at the wordmark logotype.
Why a Logo Can Consist of Only Words
While there are many kinds of logos and tons of great examples of effective logos out in the world, many of them consist exclusively of words. A wordmark logo is a logo that consists of only words. Using color, typeface, and shapes, you can create a wordmark logo that is still visually memorable.
While you might be tempted to think a wordmark logo is as simple as choosing a font and typing, “good wordmarks are carefully crafted to have a visual rhythm throughout the word, balancing white space, line weights, and the way the letters interact with each other” (Jessica Jones Design).
While it is possible for a logo to be too simple, there are many ways you can alter the appearance of the words in your wordmark logo to make it a memorable representation of your brand. Understanding what kind of variations you can add to a wordmark logo can keep you away from an oversimplified design.
Logos Often Confused with Wordmark Logos
While the difference between a wordmark logo and a pictorial mark logo, a logo that features a pictorial symbol as opposed to words, is rather straightforward, there are a few logotypes that are closely related to the wordmark logo but are considered different logotypes.
Lettermarks Are Not Wordmarks
A letter mark logo is a logotype that utilizes monograms, initials, abbreviations, or acronyms as their design. They are different from wordmark logos because they do not utilize whole words. An example of a letter mark logo is H&M.
Combination Marks Are Not Wordmarks
Combination mark logos feature a mix of characteristics of the pictorial mark logotype, letter mark logotype, and wordmark logotype rather than strictly adhering to one of these categories. An example of this logotype is the Airbnb logo.
Can a Logo Be too Simple?
Recently there has been some debate over whether some logos for big companies are too simple. Most logos that people argue are too simple are wordmark logos that consist of a generic-looking or commonly used font and uniform sizing and color.
The reason why these logos are too simple is not that they consist only of words but because the viewer feels like they have seen it before. Good logos make viewers uniquely associate their product with an icon. While it is possible that a logo can be too simple, some people prefer a simpler, more elegant design for a clean, fresh-looking logo.
The point of a logo is not to be a stunning piece of art but to make it easier for consumers to identify your brand. You should not be afraid that just because a logo consists of only words, its design is unmemorable and bland. You can change the appearance of words to create something that stands out in people’s minds.
There are many ways to customize wordmark logos in order to make them look interesting and, therefore, more memorable. You can use color, shape, font styles, and sizes, or even create your own font for your wordmark logo. A wordmark logo can be memorable and unique to your brand’s aesthetic.
It can turn your brand name into an icon. Wordmark logos can make new brands easier to remember.
Conclusion
Many pictorial logos look less than spectacular. Nailing a pictorial symbol that conveys your brand’s message is much harder than designing a wordmark logo and can often look confusing or unrelated to the brand it represents.
Wordmark logos can cost less than pictorial logos. Designers often charge more for pictorial logos than wordmark logos because they require more effort and skill to create. Wordmark logos can be a budget-friendly option for your business.
