What can you design at

The logo design field is vulnerable to copy-cats, breach of rights, cheats and plagiarizers. Especially with the evolution of the online logo design technique, malicious practices like these are more rampant. Every passing day, we come across logos that make us ponder…“Where have I seen this before?” This makes us think whether it’s a downright copy or just a mere coincidence.

Today I wish to discuss on a very pressing issue that has been bothering hard-working logo designers all over the world. Of course no one would like to see his works featured somewhere else with someone else’s name, would you? The menace of intellectual property stealing has been prevalent in all forms of online businesses, some of which include content stealing, logo copying, idea theft and post raiding. But I will be focusing only on the logo design aspect of the issue and its impact in the UK market.

1) Plagiarism – The art of copying:

Picture this. A student had an assignment to make. He found a research on the internet, and without reading it, replaced the name of the owner with his name and submitted it. A few days later, he received an “F” on his assignment. Why? Turned out, the research he copied from the internet was his professor’s work. That is what happens when you do a copy-paste job. Plagiarism in the logo design world refers to snatching others logo design ideas and thoughts. An example of identical logos in the UK market is given below. Is it a copy or coincidence? Your call!

2) Inspiration – Impetus to innovation:

A duplicate logo design can still be identified, but what about the logos that are ‘inspired’ by other similar logo designs? In some cases, when a logo designer sets out to design a corporate logo, he studies the logo design trends that are prevalent in that particular industry. This gives him a fair idea of what the industry stipulates. While doing just so, his subconscious mind induces him to use some of the designs he scrutinized in the process of making his clients logo. Although it’s not a copy, it has some elements that were induced from other logo designs. An example in the UK logo design world is shown below. See if you can make out if it’s an inspiration or plagiarism?

3) Coincidence – By chance:

What if two logo designers, sitting at two opposite ends of the world come up with the same logo design at almost the same time? Although this is a rare exception, but don’t you think it’s possible? As the old adage goes…great minds think alike, I believe creative minds think alike too. But the question remains…how to identify which is copy, inspiration or a coincidence. Exemplifying the discussion, here is a comparison between the UK space agency logo and the UK space rocket group logo. The UK space agency was one of the UK logo redesigns of 2010, designed by the design agency Folio Creative. Do you think it is merely a resemblance?