Logo Design Love » Overdone?

Birds of a feather flock together

David Airey — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:32:27 +0000

Although branding a commercial airline is something I’d love to do, it’s unlikely that by working solo I’ll get the opportunity. Should it ever come to pass, however, there’s one design option I’ll be sure to rule out — the bird in a circle.

Air Algerie

Air Jamaica

Ariana

Cameroon Air

Condor

Iraqi Airways

Japan Airlines (previous)

Lloyd Aeroe Boliviano

Lufthansa
Designed by Otto Firle, in 1918
Modified by Otl Aicher, in 1969

Tame Airlines

Tarom Romanian Air Transport

Turkish Airlines

Zambia Airways

In fact, it’s probably wise that I steer clear of birds altogether.

Aero Mexico

Air Gabon

Air Mauritius

Air Siam

American Airlines
Designed by Vignelli Associates, in 1967

Cathay Pacific

Garuda Indonesia

Kuwait Airways

Ozark Airlines

Piedmont Airlines

Presidential Airways

Singapore Airlines

Taca Airlines
Designed by Lippincott, in 2008

Tam Airlines

Trans Mediterranean Airways

If you know who designed the above logos, please let me know so I can add credit.

View more airline logos on The Museum of Flight. Via @AisleOne.

Header photo courtesy of Thinkstock.

Published on Logo Design Love

Love Irish Food could lose millions

David Airey — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:34:03 +0000

The Sunday Times reports on the similarities between the recent Love Irish Food logo and the Food & Drink Devon logo created five years back.

The Love Irish Food campaign has added its logo to the packaging of more than 30 of the Irish food market’s leading companies (including the likes of Tayto, Ballygowan, and Batchelors), so if the Food & Drink Devon legal team win in a case of trademark infringement, we’re looking at a multi-million-euro design blunder.

Love Irish Food didn’t reply to an invitation to comment on my post, but they did say this in The Times article:

“We are aware of the online debate that is happening, particularly on specialist design websites. The Love Irish Food logo is trademarked. It means it is a unique logo. We would prefer to focus on what Love Irish Food stands for rather than the logo itself.”

My idea of unique is quite different.

Tell me, if both logos are trademarked, and given how one of the most important trademarking factors involves logos in the same industry—as these two are—just how effective is the trademarking process? Is it money wasted? Does it depend on the quality of your trademark lawyer?

Published on Logo Design Love

Love Irish Food, don’t love the logo

David Airey — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:01:44 +0000

Love Irish Food has been billed as one of the biggest promotional campaigns of the autumn. More than 30 of the Irish food sector’s major players, including Tayto, Ballygowan, Batchelors, and Barry’s Tea, have come together to in an attempt to boost sales. In the coming months, these brands will begin to carry the “Love Irish Food” logo on their products.

Chairman Jim Power said the logo gives “an absolute assurance to consumers that the brand carrying this symbol is above all else, a truly Irish brand with the hallmarks of quality, heritage and values synonymous with trusted Irish brands”.

Brands can only carry the logo if at least 80 per cent of the product’s manufacturing process takes place in Ireland and if ingredients are sourced locally where possible.

In a survey of some 400 people (mentioned here), 72% said they bought or tended to buy what they knew to be Irish brands, so the venture seems like a good idea (even if the survey is lightweight — what people say they do, and what they actually do, can be very different).

Unfortunately from a design perspective, the logo joins the likes of Blackburn Market, Barrow, and Belfast in its “compelling originality”.

Belfast City and South Hams Food and Drink

Blackburn Market and Barrow

Love Irish Food is based in Dublin, one of the emerald isle’s two capital cities. Surely the designer knew of the logo for the other capital city, Belfast. After all, it’s just a short skip across the border.

One of the four Dublin-based firms scooping the available business accounts seems like another strange decision:

“Carat is understood to have won the media-buying pitch; Irish International has walked away with the creative work; Murray Consultants has won the PR work; and Pigsback.com has been retained to provide a website.”

From looking at the Pigsback.com website, I would’ve thought there’s a much more appropriate Dublin-based web design studio. A phrase about a book and its cover comes to mind, but do they even offer a design service?

Okay, so it’s still perfectly reasonable for a designer to unwittingly create a logo similar in appearance to another, even with a differing design brief and client industry. Look no further than mine, comparing it to these beauts. (Note to self: Pull your finger out, David)

You can do better than that, guys.

Update: 02 September 2009

I asked biz-R (the studio responsible for the Food & Drink Devon identity designed almost five years ago) for their thoughts about the similarities.

“The main shape is almost identical, the name is very similar, the colour is close, and, most importantly for trademarking law, the industry is the same. The Food & Drink Devon strapline and URL, “Love The Flavour” also bears similarities. After the publicity concerning the Belfast identity in the Irish press last year I’m particularly flabbergasted how this could happen!”

Blair Thomson, creative director, biz-R

Update: 04 September 2009

A source preferring to remain unknown has forwarded the logo that Love Irish Food first used to promote the concept to the food industry.

Get your chops around that.

Published on Logo Design Love

Cross that one off

David Airey — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:42:04 +0000

For reference, I’ve been compiling a few resources featuring logos of a similar nature. Previous posts include logos using the standby symbol, and similar ideas in general. Given that a recent project involved a common shape, here I share a few logos with crosses.

International Red Cross
Designed by Henri Dunant, 1863

Bayer
Designed by Hans Schneider, circa 1900

Rehabilitation Hospital Corporation of America
Designed by John Langdon

Swissair
Designer unknown

Australian Wildlife Hospital
Designed by Coast Design, 2005

Lifelink
Designed by Beveridge Seay, Inc.

Film Aid International
Designed by Eric Baker Design Associates

Swiss National Exhibition Expo, Lausanne 1964
Designed by Armin Hofmann, 1964

Crossroads Films
Designed by Pentagram

Hermann Hospital
Designed by Pentagram

Rhode Island Department of Health
Designed by Malcolm Grear Designers

New Horizon
Designed by Gardner Design

Medical City
Designed by Richard Brock Miller Mitchell & Associates

Legacy Hospital Partners, Inc.
Designed by Prejean Creative

Espresso Rescue
Designed by Mindspike Design

Christian cross

More crosses

The Wikipedia page for “cross” shows many other examples, such as the skull and crossbones, Maltese cross, and flag of Denmark etc.

When countries use both flags and logos, the distinction can easily blur. For instance, Italy’s tourism market is promoted using Landor’s happy pickle, but surely the flag would be more effective (flags and copyright — I’d like to know more about that).

Green Cross Code

Those of you in the UK will remember the Green Cross Code Man. If you’re like me, however, you won’t know that the actor who played him was none other than David Prowse MBE of Darth Vader fame.

Just thought I’d throw that out there.

Your favourites

If you have a favourite from the above selection, or if you know of any other cross logos worth mentioning, do leave a comment.

Published on Logo Design Love

Logos using the standby symbol

David Airey — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:04:25 +0000

I’m often emailed asking for advice about logo projects, and it’s a little surprising how many designs include similar ideas.

Next time you think about using a standby symbol in your logo, remember, it’s been done before.

The Gadget Show (thanks Roy)

Esport TV (thanks Wez)

Kogan (thanks Sixem)

Goodwrench (thanks Plamen)

Germanos

HiQnet

Q-dance (thanks David)

EcoGeek (thanks Photocritic)

HiWired, Inc. (thanks M.)

Staples Easy Tech

GameVicio (thanks Lucas)

Gateway (old logo, thanks Jon)

ECOT

Informedica

Think First

GridPoint

Gabriel Gely Design Group

Snap TV

Aveon

Bragunica Innovations

Tecconex (thanks Stephen)

Proven Choice

PC.com

Digital Peach (thanks Brandon)

Vobis Online (thanks Cristina)

Com On (thanks Bernard)

Power of One (thanks David)

Published on Logo Design Love

“Boldly going to the outer limits of the new frontiers of media distribution in a web 2.0 world”

David Airey — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:04:24 +0000

Creative Review have a rebranded with a beautiful 3D marque called the MaRble. For some thought-provoking rationale — including the following pearl of wisdom — read the full explanation on CR Blog.

“The word ‘infonauts’ is an invented one, stumbled upon in our brainstorming sessions through the expression of our core values of being an “information” provider for the creative industries boldly going to the outer limits of the new frontiers of media distribution networks in a web 2.0 world.”

Just what I was thinking.

This 3D paper homage to Milton Glaser‘s I Love New York logo is worth a butchers. Via DesignNotes.

Dirk Leys offers a nice overview of his logo design process. Thanks for the email, Dirk.

Simon Nielsen recently brought his similarly-named portfolio website — logolove.dk — to my attention. Good luck with everything, Simon.

Have you ever heard a design client say, “I could have done that in five minutes”? Steve Douglas wrote an article on The Logo Factor that digs a little deeper:

“…I suppose they’re kinda right. Some logos could be rendered (an important distinction) in a couple of minutes. If we knew exactly what the client wanted. If we were able to nail a concept down in our first attempt. If the client approved said design on first blush. And if that logo consisted of basic elements — a few shapes and some typography.”

Tina Roth Eisenberg of the renowned swissmiss has updated her logo. I like it a lot.

Logo Design Love » Overdone?

Birds of a feather flock together

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Love Irish Food could lose millions

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Love Irish Food, don’t love the logo

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Cross that one off

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“Boldly going to the outer limits of the new frontiers of media distribution in a web 2.0 world”

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