You may not have noticed it before, but some brands use a symbol as their logo, while others stick to just their name in a unique style. These simple, text-based designs are known as wordmark logos.
Are you a small business owner who prefers a straightforward, uncomplicated style? If you’re not into flashy designs, you’re in the right place. We’ve found the perfect logo style for you: Wordmarks.
Modern wordmark logos are a classic choice for businesses in any industry, from tech and fashion to real estate and food, or even those in a niche so unique it defies description.
What is a Wordmark Logo?
A wordmark, also known as a logotype, is a logo design that focuses solely on the name of the business, using custom lettering without any icons, symbols, or images. It’s all about the letters, sometimes even condensed into initials with just 1-3 characters.
But simple doesn’t mean dull! Modern wordmark logos are powerful tools for boosting brand recognition because of their timeless and adaptable nature. They remain relevant through the years and fit seamlessly across various platforms.
Some of the world’s most recognizable brands, like Google, Coca-Cola, and FedEx, rely on wordmark logos. Their simplicity makes them stand out. With the right touch, wordmarks can be visually striking, easily readable in any size, and perfectly suited for any medium, making them a smart choice for businesses that want to keep things clean and straightforward.
When to Choose a Wordmark for Your Brand
Wordmark logos often get a bad rap for being too plain due to their lack of icons or images. But simplicity doesn’t mean boring, and here’s when a wordmark can be the perfect fit for your brand:
1. Your Business is Just Starting Out
When introducing your brand to the market, a straightforward wordmark can clearly communicate who you are.
This approach helps in building brand recognition as your audience begins to connect your business with your logo’s fonts and colors. Over time, as your brand grows, you might evolve your wordmark into a monogram using the same design elements.
2. You Have a Short Business Name
Wordmarks work best with brief, one-word names. Longer names can look cluttered and may lose their impact, especially on smaller screens or surfaces.
Keeping it short ensures your logo remains versatile and effective across all mediums.
3. Your Business Name is Unique
A wordmark stands out even more if your business name is distinct.
Without imagery to rely on, your unique name will capture attention and set you apart, making it easier for customers to remember your brand.
4. You Love Playing with Colors
While the typeface is crucial in a wordmark, colors bring it to life. Bold or contrasting colors can make your logo pop, transforming a simple design into something unforgettable.
Play with color combinations to create a memorable impact that resonates with your audience.
Tips for Modern Wordmark Logo Design
A wordmark logo might be simple, but that doesn’t mean it has to be dull, if you design it thoughtfully. Creating a wordmark involves careful choices, and one element stands above the rest:
– The Typeface is Everything
The shape, style, and details of the typeface can evoke specific feelings and associations, influencing how people perceive your brand.
Fonts carry distinct personalities—some feel bold and strong, while others come across as light and elegant. Choosing the right typeface can help you make an immediate connection with your audience, so it’s crucial to get it right.
Before picking a font, it’s helpful to understand some basic typeface terminology:
· Weight: Refers to how thick or thin the characters are, such as Bold, Italic, or Light.
· Casing: This includes upper and lower case variations, like all-caps, lowercase, or capitalizing only the first letters.
For instance, an all-caps font with thick, bold letters can give a sense of stability and strength, while thin, delicate fonts might create a more refined or approachable feel. Think about the impression you want to leave and how these elements can help tell your brand’s story.
– Focus on Kerning and Tracking
Kerning and tracking are key design terms that deal with the spacing in your font, but they aren’t the same.
Kerning is about the space between individual letters or characters. Adjusting kerning can make your letters sit closer together or farther apart, ensuring that your wordmark looks balanced and visually appealing.
Think of how Zara’s letters almost touch, creating a tight, elegant look, while Nivea’s logo has more spaced-out, uneven letters, giving it a distinct and bold feel. These choices are made on purpose to maintain the style and balance of their logos.
Getting kerning right is all about creating a smooth, pleasant visual flow that makes your wordmark stand out for the right reasons.
Tracking refers to the spacing across the entire wordmark, not just between individual letters. Once you’ve fine-tuned the kerning, you can adjust the overall tracking to either spread out or tighten the spacing evenly across the whole logo.
Tracking also influences the vibe of your wordmark logo. For example, Avon’s logo uses loose tracking with letters spaced further apart, giving it a modern and stylish look.
In contrast, the closer tracking in Brother’s logo creates a sense of reliability and stability. Adjusting tracking helps set the mood of your brand, whether you want it to feel bold and innovative or solid and trustworthy.
The Final Words
Wordmark logos may seem simple, but they are far from ordinary. With the right font choice and careful attention to details like spacing and style, a wordmark can be both powerful and memorable.
It’s all about creating a logo that stands out, showcasing your brand with clarity and personality. When done right, wordmarks are versatile and leave a good impression on the audience.
