The short for logotype is logo. Logotype comes from two Greek words, logos meaning word and typos meaning impression. The word logo became par of marketing lexicon by 1937.

Logotype is a particular kind of typeface that represents the character and personality of the brand. Some logos consist of just logotype or wordmark with no accompanying symbol, e.g. Coca Cola, Dunhill or Kit Kat. Brands like Raymond, Usha and Indica have logos that only consist of just lettering. Typeface has another name — a font. Typography itself is a full-fledged subject, and has a wide array of typefaces to choose from . It is necessary to understand where the brand will stay before choosimg the typeface. If it is to appear on a miniature device, it should be extremely readable. Even outdoor types should be extremly simple so that they can be read from a distance quickly. In general, the faster the comprehansion of the typeface, the better are the chances of their recognition and recall.

Typefaces have two styles — serif and sans serif.  Serif typefaces have extra strokes, say small feet or stems on the letters. Sans serif is without these embellishments.

Serif is preferred for the body-copy as they are easily readable when set in paragraph form. Serif typefaces in logotype are considered conservative, elegant, authoritative and sophisticated. Banks and financial institutes generally use them, so do CA firms, solicitor firms and traditional businesses.

San serif find use in newspaper headlines and signage as they stand out. Logos preferably use sans serif for their clean, friendly, simple and contemporary look.

The character can be changed by changing the case of the font, say all caps, to small caps, to initial caps, to lower case.

Capitals show strength and power. They look authoritative. Lower case looks accessible and simple.

We can select a primary typeface for the logo, and can repeat it elsewhere, say promotional material and signages. Or else, we can have a secondary typeface to complement the typeface of the logo. It enables an apt juxtaposition of the typefaces. One can have a serif typeface in wordmark contrasted by a sans serif typeface in the descriptor or tag line. One must be consistent in one’s approach.