Trademark Violation or Not? You Decide
The question - are these two logos a bit too similar?
Phorm Design, a Sheffield, England-based design agency with three employees, created their logo first (three years ago).
Phorm (the big online advertising company that’s traded on the London Stock Exchange) changed its name about a year ago and this logo came about as part of the name change.
So what do you think? Are these logos a little too close for comfort? The companies are in slightly different businesses. Do you think this would be a trademark violation or not?
Images: Phormdesign.co.uk and Phorm.com
Tags: brand icon, brand logo, Branding, graphic-design, logo-design, Phorm, Phorm Design, TrademarkRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Logos
9 opinions for Trademark Violation or Not? You Decide
Miki
May 10, 2008 at 9:16 pm
A bit too similar? Looks to me as if green phorm traced red phorm with a faulty ball-point pen! And the industries usually overlap. So is red phorm suing?
Susan Gunelius
May 10, 2008 at 9:29 pm
No lawsuit has been filed yet, but Phorm Design’s CEO has been thinking about it according to The Register.
Miki
May 10, 2008 at 11:04 pm
And what does green Phorm have to say? It’s all in their minds? Good grief, there isn’t even any subtlety. Seriously, Do you have a link ot the story? I’d love to read/follow it. I’ve always enjoyed corporate levity:)
Susan Gunelius
May 11, 2008 at 6:33 am
Hi Miki, follow the link in the post that says “trademark violation” to go to the original story (it adds British humor that is particularly funny).
John Leschinski
May 11, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Definitely too close. I’d sue.
Scott
May 12, 2008 at 8:01 am
I’d say sue and it’ll only add to Phorm’s troubles (also described in The Register) as this controversial adware company may have been illegally tracking millions of British Telecomm broadband users. Virgin Media, a potential client of Phorm’s, has also been quick to clarify their business relationship with Phorm and their statements seem to contradict the nature of the relationship as described by Phorm’s CEO. It sounds like Phorm is stating their engaged, while Virgin Media says their only dating, but not seriously.
Miki
May 12, 2008 at 11:02 am
I was reading throught the comments on the story and what struck me was the great writing involved. Great word usage and incredible humor. Much better than the four-letter rants I read over here.
Scott
May 13, 2008 at 5:10 am
Miki,
You’ve got to love the English, their proper grammar and ironic sense of humor. I enjoy reading the comments on The Register almost as much as the articles that prompt them.
Bob
Jun 21, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I cannot see how this example could not be an infringement of Intellectual Property. I’d hire a large corporate law firm and have them negotiate an out-of-court settlement with phorm. I think phorm design would get a significant one.
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