The 5 basic types of logo and how to use them

Starbucks/Adidas/Snapchat/CNN/Mobil logos
(Image credit: Starbucks/Adidas/Snapchat/CNN/Mobil)

With so many different types of logo, it can be difficult to decide which style to choose when creating a new identity. Typically all logos fall into one of five broad categories: wordmarks, lettermarks, brandmarks, combination marks and emblems, and understanding these distinct types can help to inform your own logo designs.

In this article, we'll explain each logo type, the benefits of the style and when to use them. We'll also provide some notable examples to get the inspiration flowing. It's worth noting that not every logo fits into these five rigid categories – consider this a general guide to the basics. For more helpful advice, check out our guide on how to design a logo, and take a look at the best logos of all time to learn from the masters.

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Tom May

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects. 

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