Why You Need a Submark
Branding is so much more than a logo!
When I tell people I’m a designer, most often they respond and say, “Oh, so you make logos, right?”. Well, yes! But there is so much more to visual design than just a logo. From branded assets for print products and social media to assets like logo submarks, there’s a lot to consider when creating a brand.
Designers create patterns, moods, vibes, illustrations, animations, artwork - the list could go on and on. Design itself is so much more than logo creation. It’s the creation of a visual aesthetic that supports a brand, idea, or person. It helps highlight the important stuff while sorting out the not-so-important stuff. This rant is just to say, it’s more complicated than that.
As a quick aside, I should say that I don’t believe the world starts and ends with Brand Design. But, I do believe in the craft and I know that there is a lot of thought that goes into each decision that is made for a project.
Okay, rant over. You might be thinking, “But Grace, how does this have to do with the blog that I clicked on, called “Why You Need a Logo Submark”?” Well, I’m glad you asked! I’ll tell you.
what is a logo submark? DIFFERENT VARIATIONS FOR DIFFERENT USES
When I create logos for a brand or business, there is often a lot of information that needs to be packed into the main logo. Usually this includes the full business name, a symbol that adds to the brand identity, and other additional information.
For the most part, these full logos are used frequently, but there are many occasions where someone wouldn’t want to use a full logo. That’s where having a logo and submark becomes important.
A good example of this would be a photography business. In this case, a “full” logo is necessary to answer a few questions: Who are they, and what do they do? Once the client is already signed on to a photographer, knows who they are working with, and gets their proofs back, they don’t necessarily need to see the entire logo. For the purposes of a watermark, it might help to have a simplified version of the full logo - something that nods to the original, without being redundant.
Submarks are simply this - a variation of the main logo, either for the purposes of simplification of the visual message, or variation to denote another faction of sector of a brand or business.
Having different logo submarks that all point to the same overarching brand allows for some variation and customization. You can use the best fitting mark for the circumstance, but still, drive the point home about who exactly the brand is.
Why Do You Need a Logo Submark?
Now that you understand what submarks are, you’re probably wondering, “Ok, but do I really need one?” Here are a few reasons we recommend brand submarks to our clients and students.
MIX UP YOUR LOOK… WHILE KEEPING IT CONSISTENT
When it comes to the overall design of your brand, it can be extremely helpful to have a submark that looks different from your main mark. Why? Well, because predictability can get old (sometimes). There are many occasions where a customer consuming your brand might think “I get it, I’ve seen that logo a million times!”.
A submark provides you the opportunity to maintain consistency in your overall look, while making appropriate logo choices for the situation. On a letterhead you might consider using the full logo, the submark on the business card, and another logo variation on the envelope. All three still point to the same brand, but add a little more visual interest along the way.
PATTERNS, GRAPHICS, AND OTHER PRETTY STUFf
One of my favorite strategies when designing a brand is to use the logo and other logo elements to create patterns and graphics that nod to the main brand. A submark can be the perfect basis for one of these designs. When repeated many times and staggered, or rotated in unexpected ways, a large collection of logos can soon become an interesting pattern that is the perfect design for your shipping box or business card back.
FOR PRACTICALITY, OF COURSE!
Space is money. Well, in a lot of cases. When you have minimal space to fit all of your necessary marketing messages, sometimes that leaves little room for your logo to be big enough to see. In this case, it comes in handy to have a submark for times like this, where you need something of a different size. Submarks can be practical for saving space and precious, precious money!
SO, ARE YOU SOLD ON WHY YOU NEED A Logo SUBMARK YET?
Or are you just sick of that word, at this point? Either way, I hope you learned a little about why Brand Designers feel that these logo variations are so important.
Sometimes it can be hard to see the value in these things when it feels like one logo alone would do the job best. But when you have all the options you could need, your life, and your work, only gets easier from there.
The essence of brand design is to create a smart strategy. Not just a pretty logo, not just some pleasing brand colors, and a cool typeface.
When brand designers make these choices for you as a client, they try to incorporate strategy and meaning into every element, to make sure your marks and logos capture the essence of you and your brand.
In the same way that you have your personal signature and sometimes use just your initials to mark your name down, a logo submark is the necessary alternative to a main logo.
Here’s a challenge for you: The next time you go to your favorite big box retailer, such as Target, Walmart, Sams’s Club, Trader Joes, etc., try to count how many logo variations you can find. Chances are, you’ll see this brand strategy in action every where you look!
Want to learn more about creating high quality brand assets for your business? Check out our 8-week branding coaching program, brand.ing. In this high-touch, hands-on program, you’ll learn how to create your own brand assets - including a logo and logo submark! - to attract more of your dreamy clients.
Don’t want to take on DIY branding? Explore our done-for-you branding and web design services. And don’t hesitate to contact Sara Schultz Co. with any questions you may have about your branding needs.
