Glad to bring a little chuckle to your viewing, and thanks for offering some background info on the design.

I hope the logo serves you well for many more years.

One of my colleagues forwarded a link to your site, this morning.

Thanks for your helpful suggestions about our logo. It’s extremely flattering that you all want to invest your time in discussing it.

Your discussion has made me chuckle.

I drew the original version of the logo in 1991, long before I bought my first Mac. There was no brief – I just thought it’d make a nice logo (for me to trade under).

It was drawn with a Rotring pen, taped to pair of compasses, onto a piece of CS10 board. I’m guessing that not many of your contributors remember such things. I’ve still got the board in my loft.

The logo seems to have served us reasonably well so I’m going to stick with it, as is, for a while longer. But I do appreciate your ideas.

Michael Smith
Founder / Director, Cog Design

That’s a good way to put it, and I think I shall come up with some alterations for future posts. As for asking permission, I figure they’d be happy to have me link to their websites, and should they wish me to remove the images, I do so immediately (I’ve only be asked once, for the F1 monogram).

Rafie,

It certainly helps if the logo represents the industry. Though it’s not essential.

* At some point, I think that what usually being used by a particular industry is best to describe it. Gears – engineering, swiss-cross – medical etc.

What say you David?

Rafie’s last blog post…FREE CSS Book!

Perhaps you could just say ‘this is their design’ and this is ‘what I would like to do with it’ ….without mentioning anything about ‘improvement’. That may get past many egos? lol…

Also something I’ve been wondering for ages … do you always ask permission from the copyright owner before displaying logos and graphics from other designers/companies?

Obviously you are ‘supposed to’ although I suspect most bloggers don’t ask permission. Intrigued as usual :)

I guess if you say you want to have permission to use an image for the purpose of showing your own version of it, you are quite likely to get a resounding no.

Amanda Vlahakis’s last blog post…Corporate Design Projects

That’s odd how you see a clothing company from the Wonderful Union design. For me, it conjures a look of class that can be applied to many different industries. I’m nit-picking when I say I’m not keen on the application of the ‘registered’ symbol.

Richard,

Earl Grey and Battenburg? I like the sound of that. Just had my first visit to your personal website, and it was nice to put a face to the name.

Ben,

It’s funny, I think the cog image in that ‘bad cog work’ article you link to could have features implemented in this logo, such as the intersecting of the teeth (I’m sure there’s a technical name for them). Thanks, by the way, for the blogroll addition on your site. Much appreciated.

George,

Thanks. Glad you like the subtle change.

Luke,

I’m in agreement there (about the cog just spinning rather than turning other elements). I can’t imagine the design process was completed without such an option being considered, and it’d be interesting to see what variations were actually presented.

Amyz5,

That’s quite the succinct web address you have there. ;)

Sam, Brian, Preston,

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Ørjan, Andrew,

Interesting that you both read “won-union-derful”. For me it reads absolutely fine, and I agree with Kevin when he says the general public won’t have an issue.

Cat,

There’s usually quite varied opinions in the comments, which definitely keeps the conversation interesting. I’d love to see your portfolio at some point. Is it online?

I’m also curious about the Cog design brief… and that of wonderful union too. As you well know, the brief has such a huge influence on the final design.

Ozh,

Happy to oblidge. You’re stupid.

Yael,

I agree. There were most likely many iterations of the Cog logo, though I can see where you’re coming from with the mention of the G.

Andrew, Kevin,

Nice to have you hold a brief discussion here. It’s always pleasing when readers with a common interest subscribe to comments and converse.

Amanda,

That’s certainly something to consider — adapting current logos and featuring them. My only hesitation is that the designers take it personally (the thought crossed my mind with the Cog alteration).