Typographic
Sometimes the name itself is the most useful thing to remember. A typographic logo gives the letters a particular voice through their shapes, spacing, weight or rhythm.
Examples to look at
- IBM
- Horizontal stripes carry one rhythm through three different letters.
- FedEx
- The space between the E and x forms an arrow inside an otherwise readable name.
- Colour changes help separate letters while their rounded shapes hold the word together.
Read it before you decorate it
A designer begins with the letters the business actually owns. A double letter might give a name a beat, or a distinctive capital might anchor a long word. Adjusting the space between one awkward pair can improve the whole mark. Read it aloud and check that a new customer sees the same word.
Choose a voice that fits the name
Tall, tightly packed letters can give a venue a strong poster presence. Open counters, the spaces inside letters such as a or e, can make a longer name feel more relaxed. Decide how the name will fit on a narrow shopfront, a website header and a square avatar.
Try a quick reading test
Show the wordmark at receipt size for two seconds to someone unfamiliar with your business. Ask them to spell it back. If the customised letter attracts attention but changes their reading, redraw that letter and test the pair around it.