When you think of your favourite brand, what comes to mind first? Chances are, it’s their logo.
A logo is more than a stamp or symbol, it’s the face of your brand. It’s often the first thing people notice and the one thing they remember.
Whether it’s the golden arches of McDonald’s or the simple Apple, logos carry huge symbolic weight. They tell a story. They represent trust, consistency, quality. And as our culture, creative tools and expectations shift, logos have to do more than look good. They have to evolve.
Let’s explore how logos came to be, how they’ve changed over time, and why even the most iconic brands refresh their logo from time to time.
A (Very) Brief History of Logos
Logos have been with us longer than you might think.
Humans have used visual marks to identify ownership or origin for thousands of years, from maker’s marks on pottery in China to family crests in medieval Europe.
Things accelerated after the invention of the printing press, which helped standardise visual communication. Fast-forward to the Industrial Revolution, and logos took on new importance. With mass production and national advertising, businesses needed recognisable marks, like Bass Brewery’s red triangle – one of the UK’s first registered trademarks.
In the 20th century, design movements and technology reshaped what a logo could be.
Companies like Coca-Cola, IBM and Nike showed how a symbol could carry emotion, identity and even cultural influence. And with the rise of the internet and digital tools, logos became more adaptive – flatter, cleaner and sometimes even dynamic.
Today, logos are more than just identifiers. They’re strategic assets designed to flex with platforms, engage audiences and evolve with the brand behind them.
For the full story, read The Complete History of Logos.
Types of Logos Explained
There’s more than one way to build a logo, and the right choice depends on your brand’s personality, audience and goals.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Logotype: Text-based logo using a brand’s name or initials. Great for clarity and recognition.
- Logomark: Symbol-only logo with no text. Relies on strong visual identity and brand recall.
- Logo Lockup: Combines both logotype and logomark into one flexible system. Ideal for most modern brands.
Each format has its strengths, which we’ll explore in more detail.
Logotype
A logotype is a purely text-based logo, usually using the brand name or its initials. It relies on strong typography and subtle styling to communicate personality and build recognition. Logotypes are clean, versatile and instantly clear, making them ideal for brands where name recognition is key.
Seen by billions every day, Google’s logotype is a masterclass in simplicity and memorability. The friendly sans-serif font and vibrant primary colours feel both playful and trustworthy, perfect for a brand that aims to make knowledge accessible.
Logomark
A logomark is a symbol-only logo. There’s no text involved, just a distinctive graphic that becomes shorthand for the brand. It’s bold, minimalist, and best suited to companies with strong visual identities or global audiences.
Nike’s Swoosh is one of the most recognisable marks in the world. Even without the brand name, it signals motion, confidence, and athletic excellence.
Logo Lockup
A lockup combines a logomark and a logotype in one cohesive unit. It offers the best of both worlds: symbolic recognition and clear naming. This flexibility makes it a smart choice for new or growing brands.
For example, Starbuck’s siren icon is iconic on its own, but when paired with the logotype, it builds both cultural identity and name awareness – ideal for global scalability.
What Makes a Good Logo?
A well-designed logo isn’t just about looking good, it’s about working hard for your brand.
While every industry has its nuances, most strong logos share a few essential traits:
- Simplicity: A clean, uncluttered logo is easier to recognise, remember and reproduce – whether it’s on a billboard, a business card or a browser favicon.
- Relevance: Your logo should reflect your brand’s values, personality and purpose. It needs to feel aligned with who you are and resonate with the people you’re trying to reach.
- Timelessness: Trends come and go, but your logo should endure. Aim for design choices that hold up over time so your brand doesn’t feel dated after a few years.
- Versatility: A good logo works across all formats and sizes – from full colour to black and white, from print to digital, and from desktop to mobile – without losing impact or clarity.
The Power of Evolution: Why Brands Update Their Logos
Even the most iconic logos have changed over time. But these changes aren’t random, they’re strategic.
Brands evolve their logos to:
- Stay Culturally Relevant: Design trends and audience expectations shift, and brands must evolve to feel modern and familiar without losing their identity.
- Reflect New Direction: A refreshed logo can communicate deeper shifts in vision, purpose or audience focus, showing growth and forward momentum.
- Adapt to Digital Needs: From app icons to social media profiles, logos now need to scale beautifully and stay legible across every screen size and platform.
- Stand Out: As new competitors enter the market, even subtle logo tweaks can sharpen recognition and reinforce your brand’s personality.
- Support Growth: When brands expand, merge or go global, a flexible identity helps create consistency across products, teams and cultures.
- Manage Perception: A dated logo can make a business seem stagnant, while a thoughtful update signals confidence, innovation and relevance.
My Favourite Logo Evolution: Cadbury
Cadbury’s most recent rebrand, launched in 2020, wasn’t just about modernising a logo – it was about reconnecting with its roots. With nearly 200 years of history, any shift to such a beloved brand required careful thought.
The design moved away from surface-level joy and leaned into something deeper: generosity. The refreshed wordmark takes inspiration from Cadbury’s signature, adding warmth and authenticity. Meanwhile, the iconic “Glass and a Half” symbol now flows directly into a Dairy Milk chunk – a small but powerful tweak that places generosity at the heart of the visual story.
It’s subtle, emotive and anchored in heritage, and the results speak for themselves. Increased sales, stronger brand perception and a visual identity that feels both familiar and freshly relevant.
Plenty of iconic brands have pulled off similar moves.
Coca-Cola has kept its script logo intact while evolving through eras, from the fishtail and ribbon device to personalised campaigns like “Share a Coke.” And Google embraces constant reinvention through its Doodles and digital refinements, keeping the brand playful, dynamic and deeply recognisable.
TH3’s Take on Logo Design and Branding
At TH3, we believe logo design is about more than just aesthetics. It’s about designing with clarity and purpose.
We’ve worked with all kinds of clients – from startups to established names – and the goal is always the same: to create a logo that reflects your brand, resonates with your audience, and works across everything from packaging to pixels.
Whether it’s a full branding strategy or a subtle refinement, we bring creativity and care to every step.
Work With TH3 to Build a Brand Identity That Lasts
A great logo doesn’t just look nice. It communicates, connects and grows with you.
At TH3, we combine insight, creativity and experience to design logos that are built to last, whether you’re just starting out or looking to evolve what you already have.
Ready to evolve your logo into something meaningful and memorable? Let’s talk.
Sources
- Anon (2020). What is the difference between a logotype, logomark, and logo lockup? Design TLC.
- Anon (2022). Understanding the Rise of the Starbucks Logo. Logopoppin.
- Anon (2021). Cadbury: From joy to generosity. Bulletproof.
- Alice Rasthorn (2007). The new corporate logo: Dynamic and changeable are all the rage”. International Herald Tribune.
- Anon (2025). Share a Coke with your Family and Friends. Coca Cola.
- Alex Cook, Jonathan Jarvis & Jonathan Lee (n.d.). Evolving the Google Identity. Google Design.