Pro Branding: Why Every Brand Needs 4 Logo Variations

Ever faced logo issues while expanding your brand to multiple different platforms? You're not alone! When most people think of a brand, they think of a logo. However, a brand is not a logo. A logo is one visual expression of your brand, but not the entirety of it.

You may think you only need one main logo to represent your brand, but you'll quickly realize you need quite a few others after trying to implement that single design. DIY designs or requesting a single logo from a designer just doesn't cut it. If you want your business to show up and stand out with a brand that books, you need a set of four core logo variations.

Throughout your search for a brand designer, you've most likely come across terms like "submark" and "alternate logo" listed in a branding package. Then walked away a bit confused about what the designer was talking about; let alone what those logos look like!

Today, I'm demystifying the "designer-speak" and simply explaining the four different logo variations (with visual examples) that every brand needs to complete its brand identity.

What Are Logo Variations?

First, a logo variation does not mean you have wildly different visual designs for every logo. 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 placements.

Every brand needs a set of unique logo designs to use on several platforms that are recognizable, versatile, and complement its overall identity. For example, if you only have one large-and-in-charge horizontal logo, how will it work as the profile photo on your social media business page?

If you only have a small circular logo, what will you use for your website's header? What about business cards? Thank you cards? Letterheads? Merch/swag?

Logo variations can include a range of colours, sizes, and formats, but there are four main logo variations every brand needs. A brand identity designer should design at least four non-negotiable logo variations to help your brand show up and look consistent no matter where you place it.

The 4 Logo Variations Every Brand Needs

1. Primary Logo:

The main brand logo that signifies your business. It's usually placed on the homepage of your website and in all the advertising materials. Your primary logo is the backbone of your business so it should be easily recognizable and clearly define your brand identity.

2. Secondary Logo:

An alteration of your primary logo created by transforming the primary logo into another size, style, or format. It may be done to create versatility or make the existing logo multifunctional. You can keep a secondary logo as a backup for places where you will have difficulty adjusting the horizontal primary logo.

3. Submark or Wordmark Logo:

A simple yet attractive logo consisting of a single-line combination of words naming your business. It can be used for explanatory purposes where you want your audience to understand the short abbreviated logo.

4. Favicon Logo:

A colour variation of your primary logo. It helps to create a vibrant logo using different colours for showing legibility and cohesion. The favicon logo is the best option for brands who want to display that their logos accommodate audiences from all different races and backgrounds.

Why Do You Need Logo Variations?

1. Levelling up Your Brand: Branding plays a huge role in establishing a successful business and a logo can significantly promote your brand to the next level. Rebranding your business with a new but similar updated logo can level up your growth to new heights.

2. Always Looking New: The variety among logo designs can be massive or very negligible depending upon your requirements. Some people often update their logos to introduce a sense of novelty and make their brand feel completely new.

3. Building up your Brand Identity: Is your current logo representing your brand effectively? You might be having a dull visual effect on the consumer when having an outdated logo. It's crucial to understand how adopting responsive logos and being adaptive generally will assist in boosting your brand recognition and engagement.

4. Franchising Your Business: Lookalike logo variations are best for representing different franchises of the same business brand. You can simply tweak your main logo with a few variations to make it anew and use the new logo for your different franchises.

5. Inducing Versatility and Customer Appeal: Logo variations can help rectify situations where your customers don't like your logo or if your logo is unfit for different aspects of your business. You can simply use logo variations to update the existing logo and make it more versatile and appealing to your customers.

In conclusion, logo variations offer you a plus point in branding your business on all the different market platforms (both physical and digital). Having a perfect logo is crucial but using logo variation to make it versatile is the right way. Adding the right amount of variation to your business logo can create a huge difference and help you edge over others, bringing the uniqueness that your brand may be missing.

Reach out today if you'd like us to get creating!