Logo Design - Have You Ever...

@GCarlD

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

I was wondering whether anyone has ever designed a logo, only to find a pretty much identical version already in existence online? This nearly happened to me recently, but luckily I spotted it before sending it to the client as an option.

It's funny how you can jot down ideas, do your sketches etc, design the logo only to find that someone else has already thought of your idea and come up with almost the same design.
 
it's pretty easy these days... there's a finite number of 'designs' you can come up without at least being inspired by something you've seen.
 
I know there's several designs out there that are similar and have the same kind of idea / concept, but it was just astonishing how identical it was. I feel like I dodged a bullet. I mean what would you do if you actually sent off a design only to later discover it's already out there. Kind of an embarrassing scenario at best. At worst damaging to both you and the client to say the least.

To be honest, for the many years I've been doing this, I'm surprised this hasn't happened more often.
 
Once I was discussing an idea for the identity of some software a client was developing. We talking through a concept, which everyone loved. On the way out of their office, on the table by their waiting area, was a booklet from a convention one of the staff had been to recently. There on on the front was the identity for the event that was practically identical to what we'd all agreed on…
 
@Paul Murray

Incredible. I guess you scrapped that idea and arranged another meeting? lol.
Do you think maybe subconsciously you saw the front of that booklet prior to the meeting that day? Especially if you had been to their office before.
 
@Paul Murray

Incredible. I guess you scrapped that idea and arranged another meeting? lol.
Do you think maybe subconsciously you saw the front of that booklet prior to the meeting that day? Especially if you had been to their office before.

I think it was more likely just an obvious idea. Good job I spotted it on the way out though!
 
I am surprised at how many of my clients come with printed copies of there main competitors logos and ask to change the slightest thing so that it is different enough to scrape past copyright laws.......
Needless to say I convince them that spending a little more money and coming up with a unique brand will be much more productive to their business.
 
I am surprised at how many of my clients come with printed copies of there main competitors logos and ask to change the slightest thing so that it is different enough to scrape past copyright laws.......
Needless to say I convince them that spending a little more money and coming up with a unique brand will be much more productive to their business.

I had a client in the past who's work always revolved around ripping off a competitor in some way. I always tried to just use their examples as inspiration and tried to steer it in a new direction. I suspect it was actually a personal grievance to be honest, there was a lot of ripping-off going on in both directions.

I think this is actually a business mentality – if a competitor is doing something a certain way and it at least appears to be working, why not just do the same?
 
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