Logos are one of the key graphic representations for the identification of a brand. To create them, a set of images, colours, graphics and letters are used to differentiate companies and institutions from the rest of the market. Normally, they are called logos, but these designs are called by different names depending on the elements used to make them.
The logotype is a graphic symbol made up solely of a grouping of letters or type that form words. In other words, it is a word written in a way that favours its recognition. This is the case of Coca Cola or Sony, for example.
If the representation of the brand is a drawing or image, it is called an Isotype. This does not contain any accompanying words, so the image must be sufficient for consumers to be able to identify the brand immediately. Apple or Nike are some of the best examples. Now, isotypes are classified into monograms, anagrams, acronyms, initials, signatures and pictograms.
Monogram: This is an image made up of one or more initials that create unity. For example, the LG brand uses the company's initials by placing them in such a way that they create one face.
Anagram: It is made using the union of several syllables. They are usually used by brands that have very long names and seek to reduce the name so that they can be remembered by consumers more easily. In the case of Federal Express Corporation, its anagram is FedEx.
Acronym: This is the name given to logos that use the initials of the brand name so that they can be read separately. CNN or HBO are some of the companies that have opted for this variant.
Initial: This is when the brand is represented using only the first letter of its name. It is a popular option among car brands: Suzuki, Seat or Honda, among others, chose to use it at the time.
Signature: Similar to the logotype, although it has a characteristic that makes it special: the authenticity of the construction at the moment of being captured, which leads to a more intimate encounter between the consumer and the brand. Pierre Cardin or Pepe Jeans use this type of representation.
Pictogram: These are symbolic figures that accompany the logo of a brand, although they can be represented either together with the typography or alone. The Lacoste crocodile or the Twitter bird are pictograms that are recognised worldwide.
When graphic representations are composed of typography or text and an image or symbol joined together, we are talking about an Imagotype. Its main characteristic is that, although both elements appear, both are independent. One of the most iconic is the case of Puma.
Finally, the isologues are similar to the imagotypes. These are also made up of text and image, but they remain united in a single image and are never separated. Some of the brands that use isologues are Burger King and Starbucks.
