In a faraway land, there came a logo that dominated the world.
It was different from the rest because of its abstract visuals. It did not have words but illustrations of what businesses offer.
Maybe not even related, but you know it’s them. The logo has lines and profound imagery that please the eye.
Some may want to gouge their eyes upon seeing it, but it did its purpose. The logo’s name is Pictorial Mark!
Forgive us for the fantasy-themed introduction. It just fit the theme of the blog. Anyway, welcome to an introduction to pictorial marks.
Here we’ll be discussing the history, why it works for businesses, and how to create the mark yourself.
The Historical Journey
We can’t explain the pictorial mark by itself. We need to give a bit of an overview of how logos came to be.
Dating back to 70,000 to 7,000 BC, we find the first pictorial marks as symbols in a cave. Our ancestors drew animals on the walls to depict specific events that they saw during a particular time.
In a sense, it did the purpose of a logo. It lasted long enough for people to find and depict the event it wanted to convey.
Then around 8000 BC, ancient civilizations like Egypt, Persia, Sumeria, Mede, Assyria, and Cartage. They created pottery pieces that posed as both artform and branding.
Each civilization had its design. Egypt, for example, had dynamic illustrations on their pottery, like ostriches and boats complemented by geometric lining on the rim.
For Persia, they had a much more minimalistic design. The various illustrations of animals and geometric shapes in a black hue.
Let’s fast forward into time and get into medieval times. The stark theme of design were family crests and symbolic postage.
People were at war with each other over territory and wanted legitimacy over the people. Aside from this, King Richard II decreed a law that all establishments that brew beer needed a sign that said they did.
Do you see where we’re getting at?
Establishments, at the time, that served beer needed to get creative to ensure that they did not look or sound like the competition. Thus, one of the reasons behind logo creation comes to life.
Another step towards advancement, humans created the printing press. In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press.
Now, every printing service decided to add their trademark on the paper they published by the 15th century. And now, with the technological advancements that we have, pictorial marks are a famous logotype in each industry.
What’s the Buzz PM?
When starting a business, you have to understand that the way you look online has a bearing on your future endeavors.
And that’s why we’re here to convince you to have a pictorial mark for your brand identity.
This fact is reinforced by if you have a distinct brand color. Around 80% of consumers recognize your brand because of its color (Oberlo).
Aside from color, here are five reasons why you should use a pictorial mark.
- Transcend Language Barriers
- Say Your Story
- Touch Every Region of the World
- Intrigue to Grab
- Ease for Marketing
1. Transcend Language Barriers
A photo says a thousand words. That’s the motto of a pictorial mark. You don’t need words to express who your business is.
Your logo would do that for you, especially since it’s an illustration that everyone would understand. But another aspect of that is because of brand consistency.
Your revenue will increase 33 percent if you stay consistent. This characteristic allows your mark to have a strong association with you aside from a distinct color.
No words needed, just your logo to express. Great examples of this would be Nike, Starbucks, Target, Twitter, Playboy, etc.
2. Say Your Story
The difference between the wordmark and pictorial mark lies in this bullet. That’s because wordmarks can’t tell a story just by looking at it.
Pictorial marks are dynamic to that extent because they can show meaning that words can’t. Take the beats logo as an example. It’s not just a “b” enclosed in a circle.
The circle represents the head of a human, and the “b” is the headphones themselves. Pretty cool, right? You could see yourself using the product.
3. Touch Every Region of the World
You might think this is similar to number one, but it’s not. This aspect of the pictorial mark accentuates that the logo is applicable not only in one part of the world but also in the whole of it.
Sometimes, logos can be racist, like Aunt Jemima or Cream of Wheat. But the aim of a pictorial mark is also to include everyone through the logo.
There is no shred of discrimination, just accepting that they would serve everyone regardless of origin or skin color.
4. Intrigue to Grab
Pictorial mark has this power over the feel of your brand. It captures what and who you are as a business with just one graphic.
Aside from that, it proves to be a great attention grabber since that’s the first one people see before the text. Just make sure your illustrations are not offending or discriminating against anyone.
The best logos are those that are simple and have a strong meaning behind them. Or a complex one that has cohesive elements like the Olympics. The five regions of the world unite as one for Olympism. Plus, the colors are all part of the flags in the present day.
5. Ease of Marketing
As one of the best perks of a pictorial mark, it transcends any platform. Whether you put it on a social media platform or your products, it works.
You can even put them on billboards and business cards. No matter the distance, your business is recognized with just one look.
Every intricate detail they have, people will see around the world no matter the medium they see it. You can learn more about how designers create beautiful logos for your here.
Make Your Mark, Your Pictorial Mark!
You are the business that you make yourself to be. From consistency to color, you need to pair your products and services with an excellent visual.
You can either hire yourself a designer or create your logo. We can help you with either.
Here at DesignCrowd, we let you host your design contest depending on your budget. Our community of designers will submit different graphics based on what you want.
But if you want to create your logo, head over to BrandCrowd and try out thousands upon thousands of templates. You can edit your pick to your satisfaction.
Now you know how a pictorial mark works, use that knowledge to your advantage.
Good luck, and see you in the big leagues!
Read More on Logos Here:
Written by DesignCrowd on Monday, November 29, 2021
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.