Topic: Branding Identity

Preamble: I am a DESIGNER. If I'm to make a living at it I have to CREATE something that has value to someone else. Like most of us, we create out of thin air. As a rule, identity designers are a pretty smart band of folk. If our work is successful it's because we ask the right questions and understand the ramifications of our design decisions. We know how to coax the life out of a line or how to prompt a memory in the public's conscious. And if we calmly and intuitively seem to know when a mark is right, it's because we scrapped our ass off to get there.

The Intro:

August 14, I receive an email from Von Glitschka asking if I was aware of the www.LogoGarden.com site or that they had posted a number of Gardner Design's logos for sale. Cut to their URL and it's a "Do It Yourself" logo and business card site for $79. They have "created" thousands of logos for you to select from. Place them with type and add color and they'll take your money. Thank you.

A page of Bear options looks like designer bingo with theft of logos from Michael Vanderbyl, Landor, James Lienhart, Mitre Agency, Richards Brock Miller and Mitchell, and Gardner Design and who knows who else.

Bastards. There are three of my logos on the front page assigned to new companies with testimonials by each emoting about the exceptional service and tremendous design. Look, there's a logo by Felix Sockwell and another by Tracy Sabin and a couple by Paul Howalt. Shit these guys have Tom Geismar, Michael Vanderbyl, and Landor doing stuff for them, or at least their logos are there. It looks like I could own the World Wildlife panda or the Time Warner mark for a song.

Time Warner and the World Wildlife Fund logos up for sale. Has this company no shame?

The Dig:

Move beyond the front page and do some serious digging. According to John Williams the owner of the site he's able to offer "10,000 new symbols designed by John himself and his hand-picked team of world-class logo designers." That's hand-picked as in picked our pockets. Just click on a field of interest and page after page of world-class work is waiting to be snagged by the next unsuspecting rube.

After paging through a few thousand marks I had amassed just shy of 200 Gardner Design logos for sale. Each mark had been auto traced and then ever so slightly modified. A cluster of three bubbles in the water became two. A bird that faced right now faces left. A cat's tail that was straight now has a crook at the end of it. Our attorney's letter to the sites owner summed up this nuance modification nicely as follows. "In fact, such action by you clearly indicates that your infringement was with full knowledge that you did not have a right to copy these images and constitutes willful copyright infringement."

Five of nearly 200 cases of Gardner Design logos that have been ripped off.

Cease and Desist:

Most of the designers I've been in touch with have had their attorneys contact Mr. Williams. Several of the corporations whose logos are registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office are also taking action. Frankly, I encourage you to visit the sight and pound through the garden to identify the works of yours or your fellow designers. Screen shoot these and pass them along to the unaware designer victims so they too can take action. With a concerted effort from those that toiled to create the product this man is hocking, he might start to get a little heartburn.

The infamous John Williams

Brandishing himself across the internet as an award-winning designer and self-proclaimed brand guru, a quick look at John Williams life shows him establishing LogicDesign.net, then starting LogoYes.com, another do it yourself logo site. LogoGarden.com is registered with additional domains in Canada, the UK and Germany so who knows what kind of world domination he has planned now that he's built a model on the backs of and out of the cupboards of others.

Your Turn:

This guys brazen timidity is unmatched. I've met him before, or at least others that have no remorse or moral compass. What ever happens here will probably be in direct proportion to your own sense of outrage or willingness to dig in and confront John Williams. The general public has no idea where this work came from or that it is not his to sell. They will find they have paid a price for a pound of pain once they too discover the deception.

You'll note I avoided going on a tirade about the issues with the $100 internet logo firms. They have foibles that too deserve penance but designers have no forgiveness for theft. Thou shall not steal another designers work.

I am a THIEF. If I'm to make a living at it I have to STEAL something that has value to someone else.

{"http:\/\/www.rockpaperink.com\/content\/column.php?id=88":{"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150401805127166_20743627","from":{"name":"Claudia Monroy","id":"708432505"},"message":"ridiculous!","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T13:43:06+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20744109","from":{"name":"Nick Ramos","id":"542455849"},"message":"it's terrible!","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:08:42+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20744452","from":{"name":"Maribel Rivera","id":"530310728"},"message":"Unfortunate that things like this keep happening. All parts involved are at fault: customers who keep buying from these companies, unscrupulous concept thieves that make money on this, and the society who doesn't care about the ethics regarding art copyrights. It only shows how little respect or value our society gives to creative thinking. And come to think of it, the ones making money here are the thieves and the lawyers...","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:26:33+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20744454","from":{"name":"Ryan Martin","id":"51900228"},"message":"Stuff like this pisses me off to no end.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:26:49+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150402192882166","from":{"name":"Nick Olexa","id":"12106922"},"message":"Looking for my owl, lol.","created_time":"2011-08-18T14:31:18+0000"},{"id":"10150402199067166","from":{"name":"Ryan Martin","id":"51900228"},"message":"They're brazen enough to try and pass off the WWF logo as original!","created_time":"2011-08-18T14:40:27+0000"}],"count":2}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20744735","from":{"name":"Scarlett Fu","id":"500573748"},"message":"Such practice is honestly appalling and ghastly ethics on IP, both for designers and clients alike; designers, well, because they are getting pockets picked, and clients are unknowing purchasing copyrighted designs.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:39:39+0000","like_count":1,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150402206127166","from":{"name":"Sanahria Hadi","id":"512559525"},"message":"Lol that business card website is actually a joke! And their clients must be really stupid if their putting the WWF panda on their business cards! When they hand them out the first thing people will think is that their an animal conservationist haha x","created_time":"2011-08-18T14:48:46+0000"},{"id":"10150402781217166","from":{"name":"Ellen Wang","id":"271100248"},"message":"Lol booooooo","created_time":"2011-08-19T01:52:48+0000"}],"count":2}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20744757","from":{"name":"Sean Farrell","id":"220301250"},"message":"Isn't there anything we can do about this?","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:40:52+0000","like_count":2,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20744933","from":{"name":"Tan Le","id":"1542044451"},"message":"this is criminal fraud, plain and simple. It's so wrong that nothing really needs to be said further. I wish AIGA had some sort of black ops Mossad-type squad that would hunt down these bastards and make them \"disappear\" quietly.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:49:39+0000","like_count":2,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150402219357166","from":{"name":"Mihai Potra","id":"1181918984"},"message":"There is such a squad. LulzSec.","created_time":"2011-08-18T15:06:05+0000"},{"id":"10150402387002166","from":{"name":"Tan Le","id":"1542044451"},"message":"lol. A hack\/DoS attack on this crappy site would be priceless. Heck, why stop there? Why not do the same to the unethical logo crowdsourcing sites too? I'd donate$ willingly to the cause of such design vigilantism. ","created_time":"2011-08-18T18:11:40+0000"}],"count":2}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20744955","from":{"name":"Brent Pelloquin","id":"1535343960"},"message":"Bill, thank your for your post. We appreciate you spreading the word about this. Blatant abuse like this has to stop. \n\nPlease let all designers affected know that they should contact LogoGarden's site host, Rackspace.\n\nGo to the following link to fill out their Copyright Notice:\nhttp:\/\/www.rackspace.com\/information\/legal\/copyrightnoticessl.php\n\nWe (Prejean Creative) filled out the form yesterday detailing the full list of the (28) logos of ours we found on the LogoGarden site. I personally combed through the site first thing this morning and only (4) of the (28) remained. \n\nI also received an email this AM from a Rackspace CSR saying they contacted LogoGarden and LogoGarden had notified them that the material in question was removed. Rackspace's email ended with the following statement: \n\n\"Please review the site in question to make a determination of compliance. If there are any outstanding issues with this matter please let me know so that I can take the necessary action to resolve this matter. \n\n Please contact us within the next 14 days. If we do not hear from you by August 31, 2011 we will consider this matter resolved. Thank you.\"\n\nSo, bottom line, this route seems to be the quickest and most effective way to get your stolen logos removed from the site. Rackspace has the ability to put some immediate pressure on them.\n\nI urge all designers to contact Rackspace as soon as possible. Seems to be working.\n\nI'm following up with Rackspace right now concerning the few remaining logos.\n\nThanks again for spreading the word.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:50:31+0000","like_count":9,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20745002","from":{"name":"Tom Pappalardo","id":"704241261"},"message":"I need a new logo... I'm thinking maybe the Nike Swoosh.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T14:52:32+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150402338617166","from":{"name":"Mikee Rheault","id":"615840978"},"message":"I hear the Gap has an unused logo that might be right up your alley Tom.","created_time":"2011-08-18T17:16:33+0000"},{"id":"10150402354062166","from":{"name":"Bronwen Hodgkinson","id":"795558935"},"message":"just do it.","created_time":"2011-08-18T17:32:20+0000"}],"count":2}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20745239","from":{"name":"Jeff Fisher","id":"730536405"},"message":"Thanks for a great article, Bill! Over the past few days, I've been making a lot of noise about this issue. Most of the 20+ logos of mine on the site have now been taken down as of this morning. A few still remain. As of last night I still saw logos posted that were created by Christopher Simmons, Maggie Macnab and many others. Here's the blog entry I posted prior to my images being removed: http:\/\/bit.ly\/LGrips11.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T15:04:59+0000","like_count":5,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150403877082166","from":{"name":"Kerry Grady","id":"757024180"},"message":"I've known designers and photographers who have been ripped-off, but I've never seen anything quite like this. Shocking. Thanks, Bill. This needs to stop.","created_time":"2011-08-20T03:24:26+0000"}],"count":1}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20745307","from":{"name":"Adam Epp","id":"891205525"},"message":"Check out the killer logo I just designed in their DIY section: https:\/\/img.skitch.com\/20110818-qjaa51qi5tk3yy44r8tnikxyy2.jpg.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T15:08:06+0000","like_count":13,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150624768297166","from":{"name":"Karen Schmedeke","id":"1155180275"},"message":"very nice!\n","created_time":"2011-12-22T01:39:44+0000"}],"count":1}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20745465","from":{"name":"Matthew Pfahlert","id":"1045631695"},"message":"I just flipped the Nike Swoosh and rotated it for my new company's logo...Called \"Swish.\"","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T15:16:33+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150402286387166","from":{"name":"Valerie Huffman","id":"696333658"},"message":"Boo to that dude.  Oddly, an author friend posted a similar story from the publishiung world.....I call shenanigans!  http:\/\/www.lkrigel.com\/2011\/08\/should-i-be-upset\/","created_time":"2011-08-18T16:20:48+0000"},{"id":"10150402464762166","from":{"name":"Matthew Pfahlert","id":"1045631695"},"message":"Isn't that article amazing? To think that guy is presenting himself as a \"logo designer\"....makes me weep. There's always rips going on in the design scene, but C'MON MAN!","created_time":"2011-08-18T19:33:30+0000"}],"count":2}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20745700","from":{"name":"Gert van Duinen","id":"584788303"},"message":"Making a lot of noise regarding these theft \/ plagiarism issues is probably the best way to burn this whole pile of thievery down to the ground. I'd like to thank Jeff Fisher, Bill Gardner and a few other brave hearts for their continuing efforts to bring this to our attention, and more importantly to the attention of the general public who doesn't have a clue about these fraudulent and questionable business, while being in great danger too.","message_tags":[{"id":"730536405","name":"Jeff Fisher","type":"user","offset":163,"length":11}],"can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T15:27:00+0000","like_count":27,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20745969","from":{"name":"Gila Fr\u00f6hlich","id":"1034169019"},"message":"Horrid, ridiculous, despicable... well, like most of 99designs. But - busy going through LogoLounge and contacting designers, since I recognize a whole bunch of \"our\" LL logo in there. Thanks for the heads-up! (wondering if I should feel insulted that mine aren't ripped off - but I usually don't make one-color icons\/ designs.)","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T15:39:55+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20746462","from":{"name":"Robynne Raye","id":"632293067"},"message":"Informative post Bill, thank you.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T15:59:59+0000","like_count":2,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20746611","from":{"name":"Chris McInerney","id":"1342180707"},"message":"Thank you for the information. I have heard about sites like these stealing respectable designers work and reselling, but I didn't know it was so blatant.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T16:06:23+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20747129","from":{"name":"Scott Lewis","id":"100002195568048"},"message":"Thanks for the great article. I have been corresponding with Jeff Fisher and several other designers about this a lot over the past few days. I also have a post on my blog about this at http:\/\/iconify.it\/design\/more-logo-thievery\/ - let's keep making noise and get organized if we can. We really need to keep the pressure mounting to, at the very least, get the stolen work off of the site. Ideally I would like to see Mr. Williams prosecuted and the folks who are using the stolen logos stop using them. I realize that they are all victims too but they can't use copyrighted works. When they start feeling the pain then hopefully they will join our campaign against LogoGarden too.","message_tags":[{"id":"730536405","name":"Jeff Fisher","type":"user","offset":61,"length":11}],"can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T16:27:31+0000","like_count":1,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20748336","from":{"name":"Tad Dobbs","id":"1309812521"},"message":"Great post, and I'm glad to hear that some of the logos are starting to be removed. Unfortunately, that won't stop Mr. Williams from pilfering others' work, and duping small business owners. We'll have to continue to police the site if it stays up. Ideally, I'd like to see Mr. Williams hit the big time with a stories running on the news, articles in major publications and blogs and even a logo designers discussing the issue on the Colbert Report or The Daily Show. We need to destroy his credibility with his target market.\n\nI've searched for articles by John Williams, and posted comments on every one that I can to spread the news to his target market. I received an email from one of the bloggers this morning indicating that he removed all links from the guest post, approved mine and another designer's comments, and sent Mr. Williams an email to address the issue. He said that he will post additional comments regarding Mr. Williams response, or remove the post altogether. I encourage everyone to take Jeff's advice and make some noise outside of the design community to educate his target market.\n\nThanks so much to Bill and Jeff for working so hard to bring attention to this issue.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T17:21:26+0000","like_count":3,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150402458237166","from":{"name":"Rick Dobbs","id":"1212634805"},"message":"What. The. Hell.","created_time":"2011-08-18T19:26:01+0000"},{"id":"10150403487642166","from":{"name":"Art Salmons","id":"100001016539462"},"message":"Daily Show & Colbert Report? What do they care? Unless you tell them that John Williams is a Republican, then they'll be all over it.","created_time":"2011-08-19T18:58:59+0000"}],"count":2}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20749946","from":{"name":"Jorge Brunet-Garc\u00eda","id":"1625353915"},"message":"Check out Goodby, Silverstein & Partners new logo. Basically Rich Silverstein took a logo from a long defunct company out of a 30 year old book of ligatures, changed an O into a P and called it a logo. Here's what he says about it:\n\n\"Our new logo is old.\n\nI've heard that people have been questioning our new logo. Allow me to explain. I've always loved timeless, beautiful things. So it's not a coincidence that the logo looks like a 100 year old ligature. It was 100\u0025 intentional. I found it in my library in a book of ligatures that I've had for 30 years and always admired. I thought it would be nice to take something old and ignored and reimagine it. And that's what I did.\n\n I enlisted the help of a few talented people in the company and with full transparency we took the beauty of the original hand drawn letter forms and conveniently changed the C to a G, removed the O, and added a P.\n\nAppropriation is a big part of our culture. Sampling is part of the modern music scene. Andy Warhol's most famous silk screens were made from other people's photographs. And Richard Prince blew up cigarette ads to make art.     Making something old new again was my full intention and I'm very happy with the outcome.\" \n\nMore here: http:\/\/www.adweek.com\/adfreak\/goodby-silversteins-new-logo-actually-100-years-old-134196.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T18:33:19+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20751262","from":{"name":"Tony Pinto","id":"521303123"},"message":"Thanks for posting about this. Plain thievery is what it is!","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T19:33:21+0000","like_count":1,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20752430","from":{"name":"Regina Rockport Quarry","id":"100002606201999"},"message":"Appalling. Although this doesn't surprise me in the least. I applaud Bill for his diligent attention.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T20:16:47+0000","like_count":1,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20753067","from":{"name":"Jonah Cohen","id":"209700081"},"message":"It's just such a shame that we've spent so much of our academic and professional careers sharpening our craft and someone with an idea belittles it all with compassionless and unadulterated theft.  There goes the neighborhood. \n\nI, however, am glad we all shouted about this from the mountaintops that are our computer chairs. Just about anyone with a design background has heard about this and are speaking up on behalf of all of us. Cheers to our craft!","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-18T20:45:57+0000","like_count":1,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20770807","from":{"name":"Jeff Bruzdzinski","id":"628197004"},"message":"Appalling! The fake companies and testimonials on Logo Garden's homepage are priceless. I cannot find one that really exists..and I love how all the \"company\" websites looks the same from their \"Pop-up\" menus. Too funny and sad. Logo theft should be stopped. Thanks for sharing.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-19T12:23:26+0000","like_count":1,"user_likes":false},{"id":"10150401805127166_20776746","from":{"name":"Emily Potts","id":"1328521472"},"message":"AIGA has now put out a call to action on this, thanks to Bill's article.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-19T17:04:49+0000","like_count":12,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150403419852166","from":{"name":"Eric Hanson","id":"644623048"},"message":"Thanks for posting this.","created_time":"2011-08-19T17:29:44+0000"},{"id":"10150403486492166","from":{"name":"Nancy Essex","id":"514563928"},"message":"WOW. Blatant, shameless, despicable. Thanks for sharing, Emily.","created_time":"2011-08-19T18:57:51+0000"}],"count":2}},{"id":"10150401805127166_20777264","from":{"name":"Alexis Roskelley","id":"601729160"},"message":"Boo. You hear about these companies taking advantage of young designers who don't know any better, but who steals from Bill Gardner? LogoLounge Bill Gardner. This guy has some balls.","can_remove":false,"created_time":"2011-08-19T17:30:07+0000","like_count":0,"user_likes":false,"comments":{"data":[{"id":"10150403430422166","from":{"name":"Mark Meyer","id":"612734588"},"message":"unlike.","created_time":"2011-08-19T17:42:19+0000"},{"id":"10150403972397166","from":{"name":"Michael S. Kirkpatrick","id":"688681443"},"message":"Balls isn't exactly the word for it. This SOB has no brains! No way anyone can track him down in this digital age.","created_time":"2011-08-20T05:40:16+0000"}],"count":2}}],"paging":{"next":"https:\/\/graph.facebook.com\/10150401805127166\/comments?limit=25&offset=25&__after_id=10150401805127166_20777264"}}}}