If you have a task in front of you to design an abbreviated logo, here are some important things that can be useful to you and that you should pay attention to.
Shortening the name is necessary when a company name consists of several words, so it is too long and inefficient, but some companies decide to take this step because of the sonority and iconicity that this approach to defining a brand and logo can give to a brand.
Oh, yes … they can really be powerful! IBM, CNN, FIAT, GE, AOL, YAHOO … are just some of the abbreviated brand names we all know and the brands that really have outstanding recognizability.
First step – design brief! Do you need an abbreviation or…?
The first thing that needs to be clarified for the most accurate communication at the client-designer level is the difference between abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms.
When you are starting a design contest, the first important thing is to write a design brief and it is very important to define everything correctly, so here we will explain the difference between abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms.
It is especially important for designers to know these nuances, in order to approach the task of making what we call an “abbreviated logo” as professionally as possible.
Abbreviation. An abbreviation is any shortened word or phrase, while acronyms and initialisms are considered special types of abbreviations. Here are a few simple examples to explain as vividly as possible.
Abbreviations: Dec. (December), Ave. (Avenue), Coke (Coca Cola)
Acronym. We call acronyms those words that are formed as separate words using the first letters of a longer phrase.
Acronyms: LASER (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), RADAR (radio detection and ranging), POTUS (President of the United States)
Initialism. We get initialisms by using the first letters of a certain word, but instead of creating a new word, like with “LASER,” each letter is pronounced individually.
Initialisms: FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), NFL (National Football League), UFO (Unidentified Flying Object)
So, to conclude… YAHOO is an acronym and CNN is an initialism. They are both abbreviations.
When to use an abbreviated logo concept?
Definitely, if your company name is long. This is the first reason why you should seriously consider the abbreviated company name, ie logo concept. Your brand will be simplified, easier to design and easier to remember.
If you want your company to nurture the image of an “institution” and want a stronger corporate image. In this field, initialisms as a solution are an excellent choice. They carry the power of that element of “institutionality.”
If you want your brand to have guaranteed recognizability in a unique way, the concept of an abbreviated logo is often the right solution. The abbreviated logo has the power to give the brand sonority and iconicity.
The main task in abbreviated logo design is the font!
The specificity of creating an “abbreviated logo” is that choosing a font or even better creating a completely new font is actually the main task.
Fonts are extremely important in making any logo, but they play a special role in making abbreviated logos because everything is simply reduced to those few letters.
Our recommendation is to go for the option of creating a new unique font. Creating a new font gives you the possibility of strong recognizability, and in the case of an abbreviated logo, stylizing the letters is a necessity.
Letters are the carriers of the style, energy, and messages of a brand that needs an abbreviated logo. So, create a new font – our designers can’t wait for such a challenge!
But not only the font!
In addition to an inscription of the name and a good font, it is important to create the right balance in combination with other elements of the logo. Graphics, shapes, icons, taglines…
Given the abbreviation, in most cases, there is a tagline – the full name of the company or brand, but not in the foreground of course.
Also, often instead of creating a font, the designer decides to stylize the font with the help of colors and graphics. We can see already popular fonts immersed in colors and stylized with colors or graphics as the background of the font, that is, the letters.
Adding some unique shape to the letters or even just a small dot sometimes can have a great impact on the overall design.
The power and characteristics of the abbreviated logo
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, some companies with a longer name consisting of several words need an abbreviated name, ie a logo, but many companies strive to create an abbreviation because abbreviations are characterized by several things that make a great communicative brand.
- easy to remember
- sounds like an important thing
- sounds like a powerful company
- has an element of trust
- builds the image of a kind of institutionality
- gives the brand iconicity
- gives the brand recognizability
- has the power to create the impression of the existence of tradition, even in the case of newly established companies
48HoursLogo “abbreviated logo” examples!
Abbreviated logos can be used in a wide range of industries, as we know from examples, from IKEA, through IBM to MTV. They are applicable to different types of businesses and can be great for both large and small companies. And here’s how our designers coped with this task. We are sure that it will inspire you in a great way… Take a look at these examples!
