An isologo is the inseparable integration of word and symbol, so that if an attempt were made to separate them, the brand identity would be lost or not clearly recognizable. In other words, in an isologue, the name and symbol are so intimately related that they cannot be broken down into individual parts without losing the original meaning or intent of the design.
The Burger King logo is a clear example of an isologo. As you can see in this case, the name “Burger King” is integrated inside a hamburger. You cannot separate the name from the hamburger without losing its meaning.
The characteristic therefore to distinguish an isologo is simple: If we cannot separate the text from the other elements, we are before an isologo. If it is possible to make this separation, we are before an isotype. If only the symbol of the brand appears, without any text, it is an isotype.
If the concept is not clear to you, we are going to give you some examples of isologues of famous brands. Think about them and ask yourself the following question: Can I remove the letters or typography from this logo?
- Nintendo: The most current Nintendo logo is an isologue, since it is composed of the word Nintendo inside a rounded box. If you remove Nintendo, the rest of the elements lose their meaning.
- Pizzahut: The famous pizza brand uses an isologue. We can clearly see that it is the brand name surrounded by elements that if we remove the typography would lose the essence of the whole.
- Chupa Chups: The iconic image created by the painter Salvador Dalí is an isologue since the text “Chupa Chups” and the flower that acts as background and complete are merged into a single image that lacks soul if we separate the elements.
