Reasons Why 2 Companies Couldn't Have The Same Logo Design
Here are some reasons why two companies couldn’t have the same logo.
Naturally, there may be similarities or similarities between one brand logo and other brand logos among the numerous brands that exist in this extremely diverse business world. Of course, if this is unintentional, it can still be tolerated and fixed. However, we strongly advise against copying or imitating other brands' logos if you have any plans to do so.
The logo of a company serves as the face or representative of the company and symbolizes the company's overall identity. The majority of the time, when people think of your brand, they will first recall your logo, which is why a logo is a crucial component of your brand's identity and should be uniquely created for you. The impression of uniqueness that your brand must convey to attract your target customers will be eliminated if it uses the same logo as other brands.
In this discussion, we'll go into more detail about the reasons it's not a good idea to use the same logo for multiple brands and the reasons you should change your logo if you unintentionally use a style that's similar to another company's logo.
The uniqueness of A Logo Design
Before we go into more detail about why there shouldn't be any identical or similar brand logos, we need to first define what it means for a logo to be distinctive or similar in order to avoid confusion.
There are many brand logos that share the same idea, color scheme, or design or even have an extremely similar appearance. In actuality, though, the question is how much of a resemblance should be avoided or tolerable.
Will it be considered plagiarism if I use the same icon illustration for one brand's logo but not others? Or would it be better to avoid a violation if I simply used shapes that were extremely similar and had the same layout? When we talk about plagiarism or resemblances in a logo design, these are the specific questions that frequently come up.
However, if a logo only uses the same design elements or principles as another brand's logo, it cannot be said to be a copy of that logo. There is no clear-cut formula that can determine whether a logo can be accused of plagiarism.
There are numerous instances where well-known brands use identical shapes, layouts, and even color plates for their logos, but the two logos still have a different appearance because they have been modified and given different between-details.
All it takes is a careful examination to determine whether a logo can be considered to be original or identical to other brand logos. Are the logos nearly identical so that consumers will recognize both of them as representing the same company even though they have different specific details? Does the logo share a common sense of identity, feel, positioning, or other branding elements? If so, then similarities like this are what you should avoid.
We need to go over again why a brand would want to create a logo, obviously, as an instantly recognizable symbol of identity. Of course, if you copy the logo of another brand, people will recognize your logo as the identity symbol for those other brands rather than your own, which will defeat the purpose of having a logo in the first place.
Why 2 Companies or Brands Could Not Have The Same Logo Design
Following some of the general descriptions that have already been mentioned, we will now go into greater detail about the specific reasons why it would not be advisable for two different brands to have the same logo or even one that is too similar.
We have compiled the factors discussed in this discussion from a variety of angles, including those of designers and, most importantly, those of the brand itself, specifically for you. You can get a better understanding of the various reasons why the two brand logos should have different designs thanks to the different angles we took when developing the reasoning in the following section. Here are a few of them:
1. Trademark Issue
This is one of the primary considerations you should make if you want your logo to be comparable to, or even the same as, those of other brands. The majority of logos used in business are protected by patents, making it impossible for competitor brands to copy or reuse them. This sealing is actually a very important and necessary thing because it will keep your brand's logo from looking exactly like other brands' logos and preserve its distinctive appearance.
The use of trademarks is crucial in the creative industry, particularly in the field of logo design. A logo design that has been registered as a trademark by a company is given special legal protection, and anyone caught copying or using a registered trademark without permission is subject to legal action and may face penalties under the law.
The sanctions or punishments imposed are also not to be taken lightly. If another brand, especially a well-known one, discovers that your brand is using its logos without permission and contacts the legal system, you could face a massive fine that would be detrimental to your business.
Typically, this can be seen in the logos of significant, well-known brands. The majority of us will probably be very interested in having a logo that resembles a well-known logo because the design has been shown to be good and appealing. Nevertheless, it is obvious that this is impossible, given that the well-known brand's logo had to be protected by a patent.
There are numerous websites or organizations where you can view a list of trademarks for local or well-known brands' logo designs to check the use of a patent or trademark. The information is also readily available online; simply enter the name of a local platform in your nation to view a list of patents or trademarks. From there, you can find logo designs that have been registered with a legal entity.
2. Brand Image and Personality
As was briefly mentioned in the previous chapters, we must regard the logo as one of the most crucial components of branding because, in the eyes of the general public, this logo design will describe many aspects of our brand. The logo was designed to set one brand apart from another. Therefore, despite having different logos and different names and positioning strategies, the public is more likely to remember these two brands as being unrelated.
A lot of information about your brand must also be accessible to the general public or your clients through the logo design you use. This information relates to who your brand is, what your products are, how your company operates, and a variety of other specifics about the essence of your business or brand. Even before they receive more information or actually try or use the products you have to offer, this information will help the general public form an opinion about your brand.
We can therefore draw the conclusion that the existence of this logo design plays a crucial role in the brand's perception among consumers, both as a sense of identity and as a brand image builder. Since this is the case, it goes without saying that each business or brand must have a distinctive logo design that embodies its essence as a business.
There are many businesses, brands, and companies that offer the same products, have the same brand positioning and have a similar target market. However, this is exactly what will cause problems for your business because you won't be able to expand your customer base. All businesses must be able to demonstrate a distinctive identity, which shows that the goods or services offered by your brand cannot be obtained from other brands, and which you must be able to do through the design of your logo.
As a direct consequence, it is easy to see how the public would associate two brands with the same image if they used the same logo across two different companies or brands. This will obviously become a big deal, and even more so if the two brands are rivals with a common industry, which would make them both become more and more perceived as the same brand.
It is still not advisable to do this even if there are other brands or companies operating in related but unrelated industries. You can still visualize and incorporate a ton of design concepts from your brand positioning and personality into your logo design.
3. Confusing for Consumer
One of the main effects that disturb consumers greatly is that it makes it difficult for them to recognize specific brand services or products. Of course, we frequently notice that there are numerous imitative brands that use names and logos and market goods that are virtually identical to those of the original brands. Consumers who do not pay close attention to the product can sometimes be easily manipulated, and it can be difficult to tell which ones are genuine and which are imitative.
Not only in the realm of knockoffs and also original brands, although when both brands are original brands that accidentally have very similar or even the same logo designs, this will also cause confusion for their consumers when looking at marketing, advertising, or products that include the logo design brand. This obviously must be avoided, especially if the two brands that have the same logo design are in the same business sector as well.
Sure, one of our main goals as a company or brand is to give customers access to our products as well as the best products and to do so with good service and accessibility. One of the challenges that may arise and be fatal in the customer's process to access the product of your brand is confusion caused by the similarity of the logo design.
Therefore, if you want to make this easier for your customers to access the products that your brand offers, even in the form of minor details, you must remove all the elements that can lead to confusion.
4. Decreasing The Effectiveness of The Use of Logo
To make your brand stand out in a special way, use logo design. As part of a brand marketing strategy, consumers or the general public who have never used your product should be curious to learn more about your brand after they see your logo design. This uniqueness component won't be present if the used logo is the same as that of other brands.
It can be challenging for a brand to develop its own identity if its logo is shared with other brands, especially if the other brand has a larger market and a more devoted customer base. It's going to be difficult for the general public or consumers to remember your brand as a distinct entity from the bigger brand later on when it is only a shadow of the bigger brand.
Ways to Make Your Logo Design Less Similar to Other Logos
We went into great detail earlier on why it is bad practice for two businesses or brands to use the same logo design. Then, what happens if your brand unintentionally shares a logo or is strikingly similar to another brand? Rebranding can require a significant investment of time, effort, and cash. Additionally, if your brand has recently begun to have a fairly stable base and you completely redesign your logo, it goes without saying that your customer base will find it difficult to once again recognize your product or brand as a whole.
In fact, there are some general guidelines that you should be aware of and try to follow in order to make your logo more distinctive and to directly prevent your business from using the same logo as other businesses or brands. Among them are the following:
1. Frequently Observing the Logo of Your Competitors
The characteristics of a company or brand that are similar can increase the likelihood that the two brands have a similar or even identical logo, even though two brands that happen to share a logo are not always in the same industry.
You can avoid having the exact same look as competitors by keeping an eye on those who operate not only locally but also internationally and seeing what logos they use.
Additionally, this could be a good chance for you to get ideas for your own brand's logo. But bear in mind that you must still make changes or perhaps combine this inspiration with ideas from other designers so that the final design doesn't look identical or similar.
2. Start from Within, from Your Own Brand Characteristics
The fact that so many people are preoccupied with finding examples of how designs from competitors and the outside world appear is one of the reasons why there are so many designs that are similar to one another. They neglect to consider their own personalities, brand positioning, and other aspects of their brand or company. Companies and brands, like people, undoubtedly have benefits and drawbacks as well as personalities that set them apart from other brands even though they operate in the same industry.
Utilizing this personality and character is the best way to create a logo design that is original and distinctive and differs from those of other brands or companies. There's no need to start by looking up outside references. Begin your search and make references to your design from within. Consider what personality or character you can depict and turn into a symbol for your brand.
This can assist you in creating a new, unique, and—most importantly—personalized logo for your own brand or business.
3. Collaborating with More Than One Designer
Naturally, the logo becomes a significant item that is worthwhile investing in if your brand or business is already established on a large scale. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with working with a team of designers to create the best company logo or brand or using the services of a professional designer.
Collaboration with numerous experts in the field who are knowledgeable is definitely required. You can get more feedback and concepts that you might not have considered before by working with more than one designer. Professional designers also understand which logos are too generic and have been adopted by too many brands, which may cause your business or brand to have a logo that is similar to that logo. You can learn a lot more about that kind of display design with two or more designers.
Final Words
It was a thorough explanation of the restrictions on using the same logo design for two different businesses. This goes without saying that a company's logo or brand is a crucial component of its identity, so you must pay close attention to its design. It's going to be unpleasant to have a similar logo to another company's because it will detract from your brand's sense of identity and could cause significant future harm. Therefore, be careful not to make your logo too similar to those of other businesses whose logos already exist if you intend to create one.
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