Brand Mark

A brand mark is the icon or symbol portion of a logo, as distinct from the wordmark. In a combination mark logo, the brand mark is the graphic element — the swoosh, the apple, the shell — that sits alongside or above the brand name. The brand mark is often the element that achieves the highest level of recognition over time, eventually becoming so strongly associated with a brand that it can stand alone without the accompanying name. Achieving this level of recognition requires years of consistent use and significant marketing investment — it is not a property that newly established brands can assume from the outset. During the early stages of a brand's life, the brand mark and wordmark typically appear together to build the association. Only once the brand mark has achieved sufficient recognition is it used independently. Logo designers must create brand marks that are distinctive, memorable, and work as effectively in black and white as they do in colour.