Stolen Logo?

[Dedalvs]

I was at a friend's today and saw what I thought was the Tampa Bay Lightning's logo on a box for sunglasses:

Compare:

The company is Electric Visual, and I believe their logo came first. There are key differences between the two logos, including (but not necessarily limited to):

• The Lightning's logo is blue; Electric Visual's doesn't seem to have a specific color (if it does, I think it's black).
  
• The Lightning's logo is rotated about 40° to the left.
  
• The bolt of the Lightning's logo joins the background circle on the left on both the top and bottom, while Electric Visual's doesn't join the background circle at all.
  
• The bolt points of the Lightning's logo are sharp; the points of Electric Visual's are slightly rounded.
  
• While the circles for both logos go from skinny to thick, the skinny side for the Lightning's logo lies to the left of the bolt; Electric Visual's skinny side is at the bottom.
  
• Looking especially at other variants of the Electric Visual logo, the top of the lightning bolt seems to follow the curvature of the circle; the top of the Lightning's bolt extends beyond the edge of the circle.
  

That aside, the logos look awfully similar. I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the influence of the one logo on the other. Was it just an accident, since the designs are so simple (and the shape of a traditional lightning bolt so iconic)? And are the logos different enough to distinguish the separate entities in an obvious way?

[TBGKon]

Similar = yes

Enough to make a case = nope

[Evil Doctor]

That aside, the logos look awfully similar. I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the influence of the one logo on the other. Was it just an accident, since the designs are so simple (and the shape of a traditional lightning bolt so iconic)? And are the logos different enough to distinguish the separate entities in an obvious way?

I think it's an accident. The current Lightning logo is an evolutionary version of past logos that were used. I also think there is enough to distinguish the two. I suspect the twain shall never meet...

[BrandMooreArt]

its such a simple design, one that easily could show up in anyones sketch process that ill give the benefit of the doubt and say its a coincidence. it is similar enough though, that it could be an issue

[BBTV]

It's funny to think that people are comparing logos to the Lightning's, considering when it was released all we did was compare it to existing similar ones. That's just one of the problems with this new direction they went in. They'll never build up instant recognition of that mark considering variations of it have been and will continue to be used all over the place.

[Coheed]

I just see it as a coincidence really. There's only so much you can do with lightning, as far as logos go.

[matthew823]

It's a lightning bolt in a circle. How different could it be?

[Chazberg]

Yeah it's not like this idea hasn't been around forever. This came before both of them:

[BrandMooreArt]

i just remembered, about 3 years ago i did a "circle and lightning" icon for "power" that is similar to TB's logo. it happens. the Lightning is a registered trademark, so if there was any issue that would give them an advantage. not sure about the one in the original post

[guest23]

Yeah it's not like this idea hasn't been around forever. This came before both of them:

while from a legal perspective it's probably different enough for them to get away with it, I consider it a total ripoff...electric has had that logo for at least a decade and the there are too many similarities in style of the bolt and circle to just pass it off as coincidence or that a bolt and circle are just common/generic elements...the same thing happened with the oregon rebrand..while not exact, the oblong "o" is definitely reminiscent of the oakley logo of the mid to late 90's...while both logos may not be exact copies they are definitely rip-offs of another companies' identity.

[Gothamite]

while both logos may not be exact copies they are definitely rip-offs of another companies' identity.

I don't think that claim can really be supported. Similarities, sure. But "rip-off" requires a whole level beyond that.

[guest23]

while both logos may not be exact copies they are definitely rip-offs of another companies' identity.

I don't think that claim can really be supported. Similarities, sure. But "rip-off" requires a whole level beyond that.

if your criteria to call something a rip-off is more stringent that's fine but both examples are clearly uninspired and unoriginal and just happen to be extremely similar to existing corporate logos of the same era...I don't think it's a coincidence since any graphic designer would be well aware of other logos out in the marketplace...this isn't like recycling some vintage logo that has been sitting on the shelf collecting dust.

I honestly have no problem with it as usually it works the other way around with the fashion lines ripping off sports related logos and imagery but it's worth calling out.

[Northender]

Reminds me of Ford suing the Calgary Stampeders over their use of the running mustang logo, only to find out that the Stampeders had trade-marked the logo 20 years before Ford put it on their cars. Calgary said "you drop the suit and we'll 'allow' you to continue to use the logo without sending you a bill". Funny.

[Gothamite]

I don't think it's a coincidence since any graphic designer would be well aware of other logos out in the marketplace...this isn't like recycling some vintage logo that has been sitting on the shelf collecting dust.

See, that's where you and I disagree. The designs are simple enough, and different enough, that I could very well see them as being coincidental.

I think you're reading into it something that just isn't there.

[Dedalvs]

Thanks for all the replies! I had seen the original thread when they debuted their logo (e.g. comparing it to the Flash and the Incredibles), but these two, I think, are more similar than those original comparisons. But I think you answered my "Is it close enough to sue?" question. And this...

That's just one of the problems with this new direction they went in. They'll never build up instant recognition of that mark considering variations of it have been and will continue to be used all over the place.

...is spot on.

[meetthemets]

its such a simple design, one that easily could show up in anyones sketch process that ill give the benefit of the doubt and say its a coincidence. it is similar enough though, that it could be an issue

Agreed. It's not exactly an innovative or earth-shattering design by any means. Is highly likely that two people could have come up with this same concept.

[guest23]

its such a simple design, one that easily could show up in anyones sketch process that ill give the benefit of the doubt and say its a coincidence. it is similar enough though, that it could be an issue

Agreed. It's not exactly an innovative or earth-shattering design by any means. Is highly likely that two people could have come up with this same concept.

I completely disagree given the fact that most graphic designers are well aware of the myriad of logos that exist in the marketplace any given point in time...couple that with both oakley and electric are considered to be on the more modern and cutting edge of style and design, it's pretty obvious that these logos were inspiration for the athletic logos as both oregon and tampa were clearly attempting to target that same demographic.

[GFB]

its such a simple design, one that easily could show up in anyones sketch process that ill give the benefit of the doubt and say its a coincidence. it is similar enough though, that it could be an issue

Agreed. It's not exactly an innovative or earth-shattering design by any means. Is highly likely that two people could have come up with this same concept.

I completely disagree given the fact that most graphic designers are well aware of the myriad of logos that exist in the marketplace any given point in time...couple that with both oakley and electric are considered to be on the more modern and cutting edge of style and design, it's pretty obvious that these logos were inspiration for the athletic logos as both oregon and tampa were clearly attempting to target that same demographic.

Yes. CLEARLY the Lightning were trying to catch that young and cool demographic by using lots of cool colors like... oh, only blue and white? Ok... Um, then they must have used a crazy uniform design with lots of... wait, they look like the Maple Leafs uniforms? Well, then they must have some crazy number font that is barely legible with... standard block you say? Hmm...

On topic, yes the logos look alike, but in the case between the Lightning and Electric Visual logos, you could argue that the current Lightning logo is only the next step in evolution of their original logo, which they had BEFORE Electric Visual. Remember in the case between Iowa and Southern Miss, the logos just had to be similar on a conceptual level, not on a physical level. Thus, if we are going to judge this case using the same basis as the Iowa/Southern Miss case, then the Tampa Bay Lightning would be the ones to have a case against EV (O design with a lightning bolt going from right to left)...

Of course, the Flash would have a case against them both...

[Gothamite]

Yeah, I'm just not seeing that the designers "obviously" borrowed from existing logos. Especially with Oregon and Oakley, since the two treatments are very different.

Other than being stylized versions of the same letter, there's not a whole lot they share.

[EvilEmpire]

There's only so many ways to put a lighting bolt in a circle