3 Reasons Why your Brand Should have Alternative Logos
When it comes to logo design, most businesses and brands only think the main, primary logo is all they need. However, today, a single logo just won’t make the cut – especially if you are using social media, have a website, are enrolled in email marketing, and also printing your logo on things. Your brand aesthetic does need alternate logo options.
What are alternate logos?
Alternate logos are a variation of your main logo. They should not be completely different – they should be an extension of your current primary logo. They should use the same fonts and even the same colors within your brand color palette. Alternate logos are more about the layout and overall structure of how your logo is created. For example, if your main logo is horizontal in format, a great alternative would be to have a square formatted logo or a circle shape. This way you have options to fit all spaces that you might need to use your logo.
Reason #1 Versatility
It’s simply not practical to only have one version of your logo. There is a very low probability that the logo you use on your website will fit in your social media, your newsletter template or even fit as a
I always recommend at least one alternate logo design to my clients, this way you can ensure that you have a logo that will fit in multiple spaces and is not struggling to get a horizontal logo to fit in a square profile image space that Instagram allows for.
Reason #2 Small Spaces
Not only do you want options so your brand can conform to a horizontal or square space. But you also need to ensure that when your logo is made smaller, it’s easy to read and will not get lost. This is why alternative logos are great! In some cases, clients want to add a longer tagline or slogan to their main primary logo… and that can be removed in an alternative format.
Or if you want to use your logo as your favicon, it will be impossible for anyone to read it with the words being so small. Enter
Reason #3 Strong Impact
In addition to versatility and fitting into small spaces, sending out a strong impact and getting brand recognition is key. Let’s say your primary logo is very colorful or has a graphic that is very detailed… if your logo were made a solid color, would you lose that detail? If the answer is yes, then an alternative logo is an amazing problem solver to this. Create something based on the main design, but when made a solid color it stands out on its own and becomes a solid design to represent your brand. This is a great option if your brand is planning to make a rubber stamp or even do a wax seal.
In most cases, you will always use your main primary logo but don’t be afraid to use your alternative logo as watermarks for images, in your weekly or monthly newsletters, like stickers for your shipping or products, as your favicon, and more…
Does your brand currently have alternative logos?
4 Comments
Hi there im struggling with identity atm !my business name is becsshabbychichouse because I use to upcycle French style furniture ..now ive reverted bavk to making stained glass windows and items …so i kind of put becsshabbychichouse under that name i put Rebecca Jones contemporary stained glass artist or i put multimedia artist as i do a variety of crafts not sure how to title myself?? Please help .x
Hi Rebecca.
I would honestly just use “becsshabbychichouse” – for all your logos and branding… then on your stationery, business card, and other items, I would put your name then use a title such as “multimedia artist, specializing in contemporary stained glass” or something like that – smaller below your name. Having all of that information on your logo would be a lot for someone to read, and take in. Also, if you have all of that information on your logo, when you resize it smaller it will be very hard to read. I hope this helps 🙂
Thank you for your advice x RJ
I’m so happy to know that alternative logo is relevant. I sort to justify my alternative logo and that led me to search the topic online. I developed a single colour outline out of the primary logo for stamp purpose, printing ease on small brand items and fabric.
Thanks for the post