Often used interchangeably, the branding terms “logo” and “icon” are not synonymous. They vary in appearance and purpose, but business owners might embark on their venture believing that a logo can do an icon's job. We want to clear up any confusion once and for all. Let’s take a minute to understand the logo vs. icon conundrum and explore some popular examples so you can give your brand exactly what it needs.
A logo is a visual representation of your brand or business. It’s not the entirety of your brand identity, but it’s the face of your brand. An icon, on the other hand, is a symbol of that brand, used to trigger an action or forge identity when a full logo won’t fit.
Think about how a logo is used versus how an icon is used. Icons are important in user experience (UX) design, so they’re frequently implemented in apps, on social media, on the web, and in other spaces to instantly make a connection with viewers without needing to implement the full logo. They’re also useful when you can’t display a full logo due to space constraints. For great icons to use, you can always check out Flaticon for a wide selection of icons to use in your design.
The full logo, on the other hand, will likely pop up on formal communications, on the brand’s website, on brochures and company literature, and in other places where it may be necessary to utilize a more direct representation of your brand.
Let’s take the internet browser Firefox from Mozilla as a practical example of the difference between a logo and an icon. Well known for the fox in its logo, the Firefox icon consists of just that brand mark. When you see the Firefox logo on your desktop, you know to click it to access the internet. You also see the standalone fox icon used as the favicon on the website and on social media. However, the full logo is the same fox icon with the wordmark Firefox next to it. This logo is used in full on the company’s website, among other places.
Keep in mind, though, that there’s a lot of interchanging between a logo and an icon. In some cases, an icon becomes so, well, iconic, that it becomes the main logo representing a product or service. Consider the Pinterest “P,” the Facebook “F,” the Target bullseye — while these icons are not the full, formal logos of these social media platforms, their icons are internationally recognized as such, and oftentimes, a full logo may not even be necessary.
Let’s look at a few famous brands and their separate use of logos and icons. This will help give you a clearer picture of how each one can be used effectively.
Even though the confusion between logos and icons is understandable, especially in today’s day and age where icon use is on the rise, they are still separate terms. They have different uses in design and different size and shape specifications. Ideally, every business with an online presence should develop a stunning logo that comes with a built-in icon.
And with Namecheap’s Visual suite of tools, you can take the complexity out of creating a logo with Logo Maker. Quickly select your preferred styles and the software will generate free logos based on what you like. Export that logo to our other tools like Site Maker and Business Card Maker to bring your entrepreneurial dreams to life in an instant.
No, every logo does not need an icon. Some text-only logos use only a wordmark and don’t have a distinct symbol to represent their brand. While icons are very common in logo design, they are not necessary in order to create a cohesive visual identity for a brand.
Four of the most common types of logos are wordmarks, lettermarks, brand marks, and combination marks. Other types of logos include letterforms, dynamic marks, character marks, abstract logo marks, and emblems.
An example of an icon is the red bullseye used by Target. The full logo includes the brand name as a wordmark or with the bullseye as a combination mark. However, the bullseye icon can also stand alone as a recognizable symbol of the brand.
Icons are smaller than a full logo, so they are often used to represent a brand in compact spaces like in apps, on social media, and on the web. You may also see logo icons used as favicons (the small icon shown in a browser tab), on product packaging, and in marketing materials.
The full logo for a brand should be used in any formal contexts, like website headers, letterheads, business cards, and signage. When space allows, it’s helpful to include a full logo on product packaging, printed merchandise, and brochures.
From voice to visuals, here’s how to create branding that everyone will recognize.
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