Many early Greek and Roman coins bear the monograms or logos of rulers or towns. The most famous of these early logos is the sacred monogram, which is formed by the conjunction of the first two Greek letters of XR, S, T, O, and S; (Christ), usually with the A (alpha) and O; (omega) of the Apocalypse on each side of the coin. The Middle Ages were extremely prolific in inventing ciphers for ecclesiastical, artistic, and commercial use.

In the thirteenth century, logo design evolved from simple ciphers to trademarks for traders and merchants. These early examples of logo design includes masons marks, goldsmith's marks, paper maker's watermarks and watermarks for the nobility. Other related logo devices are the colophons used for identification by publishers and printers.

The emergence of the information age changed the face of logos and logo design. Today, the general public has become increasingly aware of visual symbols, especially those used as trademarks. It is important that the company logo look professional. Company logos are the face of the business, not only to the public, but to its employees and the company itself. Logos have become the front line of the company, the corporate identity.