We’ve already written a bit here about the trend toward lower-case branding and visual identity: Although I’d like to invite and actually welcome the far more professional wisdom of our trusted visual identity brethren and other learned branding and marketing types, until then, I’m guessing this trend has at least something to do with wanting to position a… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Logo
When a Brand’s Visual Identity Has Serious Trademark Implications
Posted in Branding, Sight, TrademarksThe strategic use of color can make all the difference in the world — particularly the trademark world – when creating the visual identity for a brand, as color can be a very helpful legal tool in communicating the brand’s underlying meaning. And the meaning of a brand and its trademark, or a portion of its trademark, can have many legal… Continue Reading
Brands That Cut Corners, Literally . . .
Posted in Advertising, Branding, Famous Marks, Food, Marketing, Non-Traditional Trademarks, TrademarksWendy’s is a brand that claims to not cut corners: "For Wendy’s, square isn’t so much a shape as a promise to not cut corners." As a trademark type, the focus on the square shape and surrounding symbolism leaves me wondering whether Wendy’s is cleverly laying the groundwork for claiming non-traditional trademark rights in the… Continue Reading
A Logo With a Double Meaning?
Posted in Advertising, Branding, Marketing, Sight, TrademarksIt’s hard to beat a logo that creates some double meaning, even one promoting a live performance of Cher in Sin City: Do you suppose this visual provides an intentional subliminal message to see her?
The Thin Red (or Black) Line
Posted in BrandingAs I was driving through summer construction earlier this week, I was stuck behind a truck with the following logo: This was excellent timing because just days before I had suddenly and inexplicably been struck by how simple, yet distinctive, I thought a particular logo had become – particularly the red line – and I wondered whether or not… Continue Reading
A Famous Trademark That Casts a Very Long Shadow
Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, Law Suits, Marketing, TrademarksThis is the epitome of a famous non-verbal logo and trademark that truly can stand alone (we have discussed others too): Hat tip to John Welch over at the TTABlog who did a very nice write up on this interesting decision: Apple, Inc. v. Echospin, LLC. Basically, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office… Continue Reading
Logo-less: When Does it Make Sense to Go Without?
Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, Marketing, TrademarksYesterday, we asked about when it might make sense to go brand-less, and whether doing so can be an effective marketing strategy long term. Today, I’m wondering, what and where would McDonalds be without the Golden Arches? Nike without the Swoosh? Shell Oil without the, well, Shell? Laura Savard and Mark Gallagher of BlackCoffee stirred up an interesting conversation on… Continue Reading
Bland new brand or brand new bland? Is this Seattle’s Best?
Posted in Branding, Food, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Trademarks—Randall Hull, The Br@nd Ranch® Mid-May the fine folks at Starbucks headquarters in The Emerald City – no, not the one Dorothy visited, the one that gave us grunge and baristas – set the caffeine scene atwitter with the "new" Seattle’s Best Coffee logo. To herald the launch, a mock commando operation was staged and… Continue Reading
And The Oscar Goes To…Overbranding?
Posted in BrandingWhile watching the Academy Awards on Sunday night, the winner of the Animated Short Films category definitely caught my attention. The winner was Logorama - a 16-minute French anumation created around the use of 3,000 well-known trademarks. The plot is described as a police chase through Los Angeles which includes a machine gun-toting Ronald McDonald who is a fugitive running… Continue Reading
I Want My MTV, Hold the Music
Posted in TrademarksA few months ago, my colleague Karen Brennan blogged about the Sci-Fi Channel’s name change to SyFy and removal of its Saturn logo. As Karen explained, part of the reason Sci-Fi/SyFy company heads wanted to change the name was to update the brand to appeal to a wider audience. Now MTV is “changing” its logo as… Continue Reading
Of (USC) Trojans and (USC) Gamecocks
Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, TrademarksA few weeks ago, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision in The University of South Carolina v. the University of Southern California in South Carolina’s appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”). The Federal Circuit affirmed the TTAB’s finding that consumers are likely to be confused by South Carolina’s use… Continue Reading
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Duets Blog Authors
Steve Baird
Just so you know, I'm all about brands and the law, both professionally and personally. I regularly annoy family and friends in retail stores by focusing on product labels—not to buy the product, but to read the fine print and ask, "Who owns these brands" and "Did they really register those marks?" More...
Dan Kelly
You can call me a “non-traditional” attorney, which is a polite way of saying that I did not attend law school straight out of college. I spent five of my first six years after college as a junior high school teacher. The other year I worked as an engineer for a large corporation. More...
Sharon Armstrong
Voted most likely to become an actress while in pre-school, I don’t think I surprised anyone by becoming a lawyer, the steadiest professional gig open to those with a flair for the dramatic. More...
Brent Lorentz
Although I wish I could say my path to the law was the result of a lifelong dream or calling, it was more the result mere curiosity and an affinity for leather-bound books. More...
Tiffany Blofield
Although my initial career path was to be one of the Supremes (not the musically talented ones with platform shoes and sequins, but rather, the nine wearing sensible shoes and pressed black robes in DC), I will likely stay in Minnesota as I have never lived anywhere else. More...
Brad Walz
My law career started on the ice…as a defensive hockey player (we’re not talking professionally…and if I were, I probably wouldn’t have gotten into law). More...
Susan Perera
Born into the world with an aptitude for science and an affinity for art I found my career path quickly chosen for me. More...
Joy S. Newborg
When I took a personality/career test in high school to determine which path in life I should follow, I was told I should either be in broadcast journalism or law. So after I went to undergraduate school for broadcast journalism and film/television, I went on to obtain my law degree from the University of Minnesota. More...
Laura Gutierrez
An attorney I am not. Though told to become one, I don't possess those qualities needed to be an effective one (I lack confrontation skills, and although I can write a great argumentative essay, I can’t argue outside a sheet of paper). More...