Let’s talk logos…. It’s allll about the logo right?
Welll…. its actually not. *gasp* I know shocking.
Let’s say you just have a primary logo that works great for a social media profile pic, but… that’s about it.
Maybe that circular logo works perfect on instagram or facebook but it feels a bit out of place on your website or business cards.
That’s because ✨logo’s aren’t a one size fits all when it comes to branding.✨
Often times, a lot of business owners think of their logo as a one-size-fits-all solution for branding. But the the truth is, having different versions of your logo is key to making your brand stand out in various settings.
So let’s talk about why logo variations are more than just a fancy add-on and which ones you should have for creating a versatile and memorable brand identity.
First of all, what is a logo variation?
A logo variation is a rearranged version of your primary logo design that gives your brand the flexibility to show up consistently, and recognizably, in different spaces.
It’s important to remember that your logos should look like a family, not like complete strangers.
This means that your primary logo, secondary logo and all other variations should have similarities and be easily recognizable to your brand.
We don’t want each variation to look like its owned by a completely different business.
So…. which logo variations do you need?
At the very least you should have two other versions of your primary logo.
The most common logo variations you’ll need are your:
- Primary Logo
- Secondary Logo
- Submarks
- Brandmarks/alternate logos
Whether it be the color, size or layout, having different variations of your logo is about giving your brand depth, versatility and the flexibility it needs to stay looking pretty, recognizable and cohesive no matter where it shows up.
PRIMARY OR MAIN LOGO
The first one you need, and often times the only version a lot of businesses have in the beginning is a primary or main logo. You can think of this logo as the parent to all of the other logo variations in your logo family
This is the logo that should be used to represent your brand and should be used most often or whenever space allows. Any taglines, established dates, illustrations, icons, locations, etc. are typically included in this logo, which is why it needs plenty of space to live.
You can use your primary logo in desktop website headers or larger print collateral
SECONDARY LOGO
This is a slightly varied design of your primary logo. Usually this one is in a stacked layout and can be used in places that a long horizontal logo wouldn’t fit.
You need this variation to use in a space where a long horizontal layout wouldn’t necessarily work.
You can use your secondary logo on business cards or letterhead, website footers
SUBMARKS
Submarks versions of your logo are a simpler, but identifiable design. You need these bad boys to fit into much smaller places where your primary and secondary logo wouldn’t fit.
Typically these are in a circular layout or a just more condensed/shortened version of your primary and secondary logo.
You can use sub mark logos in website footers, email signatures or as watermarks.
LOGO TYPE | LOGO MARK | BRAND MARK
I like to just classify these as “alternate logos” but essentially a logotype is a version of your logo that’s just your business name, while a logo mark is centered around an icon or image of some kind.
And then we have a brand mark which is an even more simplified version of everything, often times these are just a couple letters or symbol.
Logotypes and logo marks aren’t a “need to have”, in most cases they’re a “nice to have” option.
I usually like to include them into my branding packages anyway though because they are nice to have in case you do end up needing them.
The nice thing about having multiple versions of your logo is that there’s one for every space and you can sprinkle them throughout your branding to help deepen overall recognition.
So, there you have it! Logo variations aren’t just a nice touch; they’re essential for giving your brand depth and versatility.
From the primary logo to submarks and alternate logos, each variation serves a unique purpose in ensuring your brand remains cohesive and recognizable across different platforms.
By understanding when and where to use each version, you can elevate your brand presence and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
