Logo Design

The 7 types of logos

Q: What are the 7 types of logos?

The seven standard logo types are the wordmark, lettermark, pictorial mark, abstract mark, mascot, combination mark, and emblem. They differ in whether they use the name, a symbol, or both, and in how much existing recognition they need to work.

Q: Which type of logo is best for a small business?

For most new small businesses, a combination mark — the name paired with a simple symbol — is the safest choice. It stays legible before you have any brand recognition, works across every size, and can later be split into a standalone icon once people know you.

Q: What is the difference between a wordmark and a lettermark?

A wordmark spells out the full business name in a distinctive typeface (Coca-Cola), while a lettermark uses only the initials (IBM). Choose a wordmark when the name is short and readable; choose a lettermark when the full name is long or awkward to say.

Q: What is a combination mark?

A combination mark pairs a name with a symbol as one locked unit — think Burger King or Lacoste. It is popular with small businesses because it teaches name recognition and adds a distinctive icon at the same time, and the two parts can be separated later.

Q: Are abstract and pictorial logos the same thing?

No. A pictorial mark is a literal, recognisable object (the Apple apple), while an abstract mark is a non-literal geometric form with no direct real-world meaning (the Nike swoosh). Pictorial marks borrow existing meaning; abstract marks build meaning purely through repetition.

Wordmark, lettermark, pictorial, abstract, mascot, combination, emblem. Here is what each one is, a few examples you already know, and — the part most lists skip — which one a small business should actually pick.

See the seven types What a logo costs

There are seven standard logo types: the wordmark, lettermark, pictorial mark, abstract mark, mascot, combination mark, and emblem. They differ in whether they lean on the name, a symbol, or both — and in how much brand recognition they need before they actually work for you.

Almost every logo list online explains the seven types using billion-dollar brands, then leaves you exactly where you started: which one is right for a business nobody has heard of yet? That last question is the only one that matters when you are the one paying.

So below you get each type with plain-English examples, and then a decision guide built for a small business with no recognition to lean on. Spoiler for the impatient: for most new brands the answer is a combination mark — but it is worth understanding why before you commit.

Choose a form

The seven logo types, one by one

The seven types split into three families: name-based (wordmark, lettermark), symbol-based (pictorial, abstract, mascot), and combined (combination mark, emblem). Name-based marks build recognition fastest; symbol-only marks need recognition to already exist; combined marks give a small business the best of both.

Type 1

Wordmark

The business name set in a distinctive typeface, with no separate symbol.

Examples: Google, Coca-Cola, Visa.
Pick it if: your name is short, readable and worth putting front and centre — it builds name recognition fast because people literally read the brand.

Type 2

Lettermark (monogram)

Initials only, styled as the mark.

Examples: IBM, HBO, HP.
Pick it if: your full name is long or a mouthful. It trims a five-word name to a tidy symbol — but the initials alone rarely say what you do, so pair it with clear context early on.

Type 3

Pictorial mark (logo symbol)

A recognisable, literal icon that stands for the brand.

Examples: Apple, Twitter bird, Target.
Pick it if: you already have recognition, or the icon obviously signals your category. Powerful once known, risky before that — a symbol with no name attached teaches customers nothing.

Type 4

Abstract mark

A geometric or symbolic form with no literal meaning.

Examples: Nike swoosh, Pepsi, Adidas.
Pick it if: you want a unique, ownable symbol not tied to one object. Flexible and distinctive, but it carries zero built-in meaning, so recognition has to be earned through repetition.

Type 5

Mascot

An illustrated character that represents the brand.

Examples: KFC’s Colonel, Mailchimp’s Freddie, Michelin Man.
Pick it if: you want a friendly, human face — common in food, sport and family brands. Great for personality, but detailed characters are harder to reproduce cleanly at small sizes.

Type 6

Combination mark

A name and a symbol locked together as one unit.

Examples: Burger King, Lacoste, Doritos.
Pick it if: you are a newer small business. It is the safest, most flexible choice — the name teaches recognition while the symbol adds distinctiveness, and you can split them later once the icon stands alone.

Type 7

Emblem

Text enclosed inside a shape or badge, treated as one sealed mark.

Examples: Starbucks, Harley-Davidson, most sports crests.
Pick it if: you want a traditional, authoritative feel. Handsome and heritage-rich, but the fused detail can be hard to scale down to a favicon or embroider small.

Match to your situation

Which type should you choose?

Ignore what looks impressive on a famous brand and start from your own situation: how recognisable you are, how your name reads, and the tone you want. This table maps common small-business situations to the type that usually fits.

A practical mapping of small-business situations to logo type. Guidance reflects common design practice, not fixed rules — many brands blend types.
Your situation	Usual best fit	Why
Brand-new business, no recognition yet	Combination mark	The name builds recognition while the symbol adds distinctiveness. Lowest-risk starting point.
Short, memorable, readable name	Wordmark	Let the name do the work; a separate symbol would just compete with it.
Long or hard-to-say name	Lettermark	Compress it to clean initials, then add context in your tagline and copy.
Personality-led brand (food, kids, sport)	Mascot	A character carries warmth and story a flat symbol cannot.
Traditional, heritage or institutional tone	Emblem	The badge form signals authority and permanence.
Established brand ready for a standalone symbol	Pictorial or abstract mark	Only once people already connect the icon to you — recognition must exist first.

Our take

What most small businesses should pick

Symbol-only logos — pictorial and abstract marks — get all the design-award glory, but they lean on recognition you do not have yet. An apple means Apple because billions of dollars taught it to. Your abstract swoosh means nothing until you have paid, in time and money, to give it meaning.

A combination mark side-steps that problem. People read your name and see your symbol together, so recognition compounds from day one. When the icon eventually earns its own recall, you already own a standalone version. It is the lowest-risk, highest-flexibility starting point — which is why we recommend it for most new brands.

Avoid these

Common logo-type mistakes

Where small businesses go wrong choosing a type

The most expensive mistake is picking a symbol-only mark too early. A bare pictorial or abstract icon looks sophisticated in a portfolio, but on a shopfront nobody has seen before it communicates nothing — and you end up bolting the name back on anyway.

The second mistake is choosing for looks over legibility. Emblems and detailed mascots photograph beautifully at hero size and fall apart as a favicon or a stitched cap. If a type you love does not survive shrinking, get a simplified small-size variant made alongside it.

The third is treating the seven types as rigid boxes. They are a shared vocabulary, not a rulebook — most working identities blend a wordmark, a symbol and an icon-only lockup for different contexts.

Quick pitfalls

Too early: symbol-only marks before you have recognition.

Too detailed: emblems and mascots that blur at small sizes.

Too rigid: forgetting that most brands blend types and keep multiple lockups.

Go deeper

Related logo guides

Parent guide

Logo design for small businesses

The full pillar: types, process, costs, and the ownership questions that decide whether your logo is an asset.

Budget

How much does a logo cost?

Every price tier mapped to the files, rights and variants you should receive — and the red flags.

Files

Logo file formats explained

Once you have chosen a type, these are the formats to demand so it works everywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What are the 7 types of logos?

The seven standard logo types are the wordmark, lettermark, pictorial mark, abstract mark, mascot, combination mark, and emblem. They differ in whether they use the name, a symbol, or both, and in how much existing recognition they need to work.

Which type of logo is best for a small business?

For most new small businesses, a combination mark — the name paired with a simple symbol — is the safest choice. It stays legible before you have any brand recognition, works across every size, and can later be split into a standalone icon once people know you.

What is the difference between a wordmark and a lettermark?

A wordmark spells out the full business name in a distinctive typeface (Coca-Cola), while a lettermark uses only the initials (IBM). Choose a wordmark when the name is short and readable; choose a lettermark when the full name is long or awkward to say.

What is a combination mark?

A combination mark pairs a name with a symbol as one locked unit — think Burger King or Lacoste. It is popular with small businesses because it teaches name recognition and adds a distinctive icon at the same time, and the two parts can be separated later.

Are abstract and pictorial logos the same thing?

No. A pictorial mark is a literal, recognisable object (the Apple apple), while an abstract mark is a non-literal geometric form with no direct real-world meaning (the Nike swoosh). Pictorial marks borrow existing meaning; abstract marks build meaning purely through repetition.

Why do emblems scale poorly?

Emblems fuse text and detail inside a single shape or badge. That detail looks rich at large sizes but blurs into mush as a favicon, a social avatar, or small embroidery. If you love the emblem look, ask your designer for a simplified small-size version alongside it.

Can I combine more than one logo type?

Yes — most real-world identities do. A combination mark already blends a wordmark and a symbol, and many brands keep both a full lockup and an icon-only version for tight spaces. The types are a starting vocabulary, not rigid boxes.

Chosen your type? Now get it made

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