logo rip advice
- Started
- Last post
- 38 Responses
- SeriousFreelancing0
It's childish for me to be curious to SEE the similarities that this guy claims there are??? Whatever.
But I agree, that he should contact them in a professional manner.
"Calling people out" is not what I interpret as a professional approach... but maybe that's just your choice of words.
- choice of words...but confronting them is a necessary part of the call, isn't it?monospaced
- childish to post the logos here...I couldn't care less about you, since you aren't involved in thismonospaced
- wow you are a sensitive kid...SeriousFreelancing
- not particularly...you'r... the one getting personal here. I never called you childish, just your suggestionmonospaced
- Who is this SeriousFreelancing? A 5 minute member doling out condescending advice?Melanie
- Condescending advice equals 'contact them in a professional manner'?SeriousFreelancing
- Hey Melanie, if you want to scrutinize members maybe you should think about making your own site?SeriousFreelancing
- Really? How would you know anything about what goes on with my site?Melanie
- Pfft. I'll bear that in mind when I'm looking at your wordpress template website. I'm quite confident in my work thank you.Melanie
- SeriousFreelancing0
Nah dude, you assume too much, like I said, I was looking for credibility from the poster.
I could care less about the design group that poached his idea... just wanted to see the design.
- if he posts them here it would bypass all professionalism and start a shitstorm of hate emailmonospaced
- I assume too much? You called me paranoid. And you also thought I was calling you selfish. Talk about ego.monospaced
- Selfish? I'm lost.SeriousFreelancing
- I mean childish...but I think we're on the same page.monospaced
- Fax_Benson0
I'm not posting the logos and I'm not particularly flattered. The qbn rip shitstorms can be exhilarating for a while, so long as they're in somebody else's thread.
- SeriousFreelancing0
As you can see that I'm new to posting here... I had no idea that people on QBN would contact said company on the behalf of Fax_Benson.
This is what you refer as a shitstorm?
If that is the case, then yes it would be extremely unprofessional... but not anymore unprofessional than the idea thieving company/client.
I'm just sayin'
- If you had no idea, then why would you make such bold statements about our professionalism?monospaced
- No, we wouldn't contact them. But, we would certainly make SEO-friendly posts about it. :)Continuity
- Yeah I didn't think people would contact the companies. But you never know... a lot of creeps on QBN.SeriousFreelancing
- "our professionalism" as in you and everyone else on QBN? You got stock or something in this blog?SeriousFreelancing
- tredesigns0
I think it would be cool for your site or as and ad-on to the standard info. in your cv. I would really work on the cover-letter and skip the visual theatre.
I've been watching my boss go thru resumes and trash the so called creative ones instantly.
In all cases trust your gut, unless you are a dumb ass.
- Fax_Benson0
Assuming you contacted them in a reasonable manner, what would you do then; If they denied all knowledge? Admitted it but didn't give a shit?
- bulletfactory0
^ if they didn't give a shit, then it shouldn't be a problem to mention it publicly on the internet.
- Continuity0
All of this is really a legal thing. You should be making your enquiries with a lawyer, not a design forum, mate.
- <monospaced
- I don't want you to come to court with me. Just wondered whether anybody elseFax_Benson
- had been in a position where they might need to approach a lawyer overFax_Benson
- something similarFax_Benson
- It's not a question of going to court, yet. It's a question of knowing what your rights are.Continuity
- Lawyer = $$$SeriousFreelancing
- mikotondria30
Phone them, immediately.
Be genuinely pissed off and ask them how they intend to correct this.
Demand an apology.
Get one.
Ensure they follow-up on their corrective promises. If not, begin sending letters from law firms.
This is your livelihood, don't piss about, and don't let these muppets push you around.
Seriously.
- SeriousFreelancing0
It all depends on what YOU want to get out of it Benson... there are numerous ways to handle this situation, even legally, like Cont said.
What would I personally do? I really don't know... contact the company who's logo they copied and have them handle it? Write an eloquent letter that would force any sensible person to apologize? Ask them if taking other people's ideas is part of their brand promise and position... Suggest that you're moved to talk about your experience in a social media forum...Or be professional and express my confusion, inquire and listen to them squirm in their seat.
I really don't know, it all depends on what YOU want to get out of it.
- Fax_Benson0
The problem is that the company with the "borrowed" logo has been around for over a year and is now established to a point where it won't just give up it's identity and start over. The original company is in a totally different industry and is completely unaffected (at the present - I guess there's a chance one of the bosses might buy a product from the 2nd company and notice the rip).
- That's their problem to manage. Not yours. This is a consequence of nicking people's stuff.Continuity
- Continuity0
That the company who nicked the logo is a year old and established is no concern of yours. So what if they are? Is that a perfect excuse not to take them to task for ripping off the artwork? Come on, mate, seriously? That's basically saying that anyone who steals anything can't be touched after a given amount of time has passed.
They should have thought about that a year ago when they made the decision to use ... derivative work, let's call it. And _they_ are the ones who need to face of to the consequences of that.
- I agree. I'm not absolving them. Just pointing out that they're attached to the logoFax_Benson
- lambsy0
i had a similar situation a few years ago.
designed a brand for an automotive industry company. sent tradeshow materials to be produced by this exhibit company. exhibit company ends up using graphics and logos from automotive company as their 'new identity'.
my boss called them up and said: ' i know you guys really liked their designed items and we know they are really beautiful to look at etc, but automotive company paid Lots and Lots to have that image be exclusively theirs. we can't have you using the imagery, etc... we don't know who did it, and we understand how excited everyone must be over there, but you guys ultimately didn't pay for it, and it can end up hurting us and you if this is found out. please don't make us take this any further'
problem fixed.
- How quickly did you catch them out? I didn't notice for over a year. Company nowFax_Benson
- established and doing well by the looks of it.Fax_Benson
- like 4 months after. walked into their showroom and saw something a bit familiar.lambsy
- Nice. They sent me their newsletter email with (effectively) my logo at the topFax_Benson
- PonyBoy0
rape and pillage
- haven't got the energy for that. grope and pilfer?Fax_Benson
- Observe and judgeLillebo
- SeriousFreelancing0
Lamb's company responded professionally and got what they wanted.
Dale Carnegie is a good start for professional communications. Don't hate on me, I just read it because this is how the rest of the corny corporate world works. My ego-driven responses got me in trouble in the past, but then again so did DOLLING out wedgies.
Diplomacy is a tough mask to wear especially for people with passion, and talent, but it's much prettier than ego and narcissism.
- Always intended to be diplomatic. Ego and narcissism not an issue.Fax_Benson
- talent and passion aren't either really, to be honest.Fax_Benson
- As long as you're not calling anyone out, you'll get much further. A positive approach will get you much further as you know.SeriousFreelancing
- SeriousFreelancing, you don't get it. Bringing it to their attention IS calling them out.monospaced
- lambsy0
yes. it was a very diplomatic approach. what really made them understand was the perceived threat of this other company paying a whole lot for something they pretty much stole and coming after them for infringement.
which company is bigger benson? the one who stole, or the one who was stolen from?
- Company 1 is bigger, but company 2 is doing well & could be worth a load more.Fax_Benson
- Projectile0
the fact that they're attached to the logo could work in your favour.
But at the end of the day, all of us are sitting here assuming that these two logos are almost identical. Don't forget the possivbility that you're looking into this too much because you spent so long on the logo.
Especially if it's in helvetica :P
- Fax_Benson0
The original company is a law firm. Not sure I want to approach them with the issue though.
- I think you should, you're going to get lawyers on your side for free!zarkonite