Logo Clones
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We're all working with the same set of resources.
There are only so many ways to combine colors, shapes, and patterns. No one is secretly hiding some unknown groundbreaking design element. So, that great idea you've been sitting on? There’s a good chance somebody else came up with something similar.
An image of a bear. A blue/black color pallete. What are the odds?
Don’t get it twisted.
There's a difference between a copy, an inspiration, and a blatant ripoff.
A thin line.
Still, don’t let similarities stop you from pursuing a good idea. But also, don't expect to stand out if you look like everyone else. But also, don't expect to stand out if you look like everyone else.
If red gives you the urgency you need, use it!
If a skull perfectly conveys the dread you want, go for it!
Just remember to truly make it your own.
The John Deere logo, and a deer-crossing sign.
In a video called "It Doesn't Have to be Unique," from a Lynda.com course, John McWade talks about the similarities between the logos for household brand names such as Volvo, Honda, and Sony.
Font weight and color aren't the only things that differentiate these companies. So does their brand.
“Each is set in an extended version of the typeface Clarendon, or something very similar. It’s an Egyptian style slab serif; all uppercase; practically the same number of letters. Sony is a little lighter, Volvo a little heavier. Pretty obviously, logo types don’t have to be unique.”
This stuff doesn’t just happen with logos.
Everywhere you look, everything you hear, it came from somewhere else.
"Everything is a Remix," a video series by Kirby Ferguson, breaks down the way ideas build on previous ideas, making something new and fresh. You'll be surprised how many things are creative descendants of other things. Originality and creativity are not what we once thought.
To avoid looking like someone else, work with a designer who’s familiar with the landscape.
If you are a designer who’s just starting out, learn the fundamentals so you don’t fall for common visual mistakes.