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Our Expertise

Logo Styles We Design

Every logo we design falls into one of five foundational styles. Choosing the right format up front shapes how your brand shows up on a business card, an app icon, a storefront, and everywhere in between.

01

Wordmarks

The company name, drawn with intent.

A wordmark is the full business name set in a custom or highly refined typeface. It's the most direct way to build brand recognition — the name IS the logo. Done well, the letterforms themselves carry the personality of the brand.

Best fit

Brands with a short, distinctive name that want maximum name recognition — think Google, Coca-Cola, Skycrest Creative.

Well-known examples

Google · Coca-Cola · Visa · FedEx · Sony

Google logo — real-world wordmarks example

Real-world example

Google

How we handle it: Best when the name is 1–3 words. Longer names shrink poorly on business cards, favicons, and mobile headers, so we typically pair long-name wordmarks with a companion submark.
02

Lettermarks

Initials or monograms carrying the whole identity.

A lettermark uses one to four initials of the brand name as the logo. It's the go-to when a full name is long, hard to pronounce, or already widely abbreviated in the market — the initials become the shorthand everyone remembers.

Best fit

Multi-word brand names, professional services, and legacy institutions where an abbreviation already feels natural.

Well-known examples

IBM · HBO · NASA · HP · CNN

IBM logo — real-world lettermarks example

Real-world example

IBM

How we handle it: Because it strips the name to a few letters, a lettermark leans hard on typography and proportion. We treat it as a custom-drawn mark, not a font choice.
03

Brand Marks

A pure symbol that stands in for the brand.

Also called a pictorial mark, a brand mark is a symbol or icon that represents the company without spelling out the name. It's the hardest logo style to earn — the symbol has to become synonymous with the brand through consistent use over time.

Best fit

Established brands, product-led companies, and businesses planning to grow globally where a language-neutral symbol travels well.

Well-known examples

Apple · Nike swoosh · Twitter bird · Target · Shell

Nike logo — real-world brand marks example

Real-world example

Nike

How we handle it: Usually launched alongside a wordmark and only used solo once brand recognition catches up. We deliver both variants so you can transition over time.
04

Combination Marks

A symbol and the name, working as one system.

A combination mark pairs a symbol with the brand name in a locked, considered layout. It's the most versatile logo format — you get instant recognition from the wordmark and long-term equity in the symbol, and you can separate them for tight spaces.

Best fit

New brands, growing companies, and any business that wants both name recognition AND a distinct icon it can eventually use on its own.

Well-known examples

Adidas · Lacoste · Doritos · Burger King · Skycrest Creative

Puma logo — real-world combination marks example

Real-world example

Puma

How we handle it: We design the symbol and the wordmark to hold up individually so they can flex apart — the icon works as a favicon or app tile, the wordmark works in a footer, and together they carry the primary brand.
05

Emblems

Type and symbol fused into a single crest.

An emblem places the brand name inside a shape — a badge, crest, seal, or shield. It signals heritage, craft, and authority. Emblems photograph beautifully on merchandise, packaging, and signage where a single unified shape reads instantly.

Best fit

Craft brands, hospitality, sports, education, food and beverage, and any category where heritage or craftsmanship is part of the story.

Well-known examples

Starbucks · Harley-Davidson · BMW · NFL teams · Warner Bros.

Harley-Davidson logo — real-world emblems example

Real-world example

Harley-Davidson

How we handle it: Because the type and symbol are locked together, emblems can be harder to scale small — we build simplified variants for favicons and app icons so the mark stays legible everywhere.

Not sure which style fits best?

We start every branding project with a short discovery call to understand your audience, competitors, and how the mark will be used day to day. From there we recommend the format and present a direction — no template packs, no generic options.

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