Bad Business Policies

A client whose website I am redesigning and updating, wrote to me recently and asked me to compare his website against another he’d come across. It seemed that his logo (icon) was 100% identical to the one on the other site and he wondered in my opinion if it was done by the same designer, or if perhaps, one designer copied the other.

These two companies couldn’t be farther apart in the industries they’re in, so perhaps whichever logo designer did them thought the two different clients would never see each other.

Now I must say that we’re all influenced by other designs, we cannot help it with the media we have before us. Between the internet, magazines and newspapers, TV, books, and all the existing companies with logos already trademarked, it’s a challenge to come up with an original logo design. But when I see two logos and they look like one was traced from the other, I know somebody copied the other, or was produced by the same designer.

What makes matters worse is the other website is an embarrassing health related type of site, and their icon is trademarked, so my client was horrified and now needs a new logo! When he approached the logo designer, the person just said, “Oh, really? Okay, would you like us to design a new logo for you?” I think that designer will not be surprised when he has to appear in court.

I felt I had to write about this because it made me wonder how an “artist,” a true “designer” would copy or use the same exact logo for two different clients. It makes me think that perhaps the company that produced the logos was more of a business and not a real artist, proud of their original designs, because a true artist would never copy their own work or someone else’s.

I know what you’re thinking, in web design we see templates for websites and blogs which are using this system and it works somewhat. You know, I’ll always try to convince my clients to go for an original design, even when it’s a blog. But branding a company, creating a logo/icon is very different and must always be original. This client not only had to remove it from their site, but will need to redesign their business cards, stationery and whatever marketing materials they’d created.

Here’s a link to another blog which talks more about this and shows a few examples similar to this case:
http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/archive/2005/09/logo-originality

Yesterday, a friend and I went into NYC so we could see a movie, have lunch out, and visit a gallery. First stop was the film and when we arrived we were told the theater only accepted cash. We couldn’t believe it, but walked over to an atm, got some cash, and bought our tickets. This theater was the Film Forum in lower Manhattan, so now you’ll know to bring some cash, if you’re headed there.

After the wonderful movie, “My Sister Eileen”, we were planning to head further uptown and stopped in at the Waverly Restaurant (diner type place) for some lunch. It was just fine and we went over to pay, and yet again heard, we only accept cash.

What is going on? It is almost 2010 and yet these places cannot accept a credit or debit card? Or due to the economic climate have stopped accepting them?

Today, I had an even worse experience. Because I was out yesterday, I missed a UPS package. Something I had ordered from a store about 10 days ago. They left me a door tag, the usual way and I waited around all day for the package. At 4 pm I decided to look online and track the package. Someone had written ,”AS REQUESTED BY THE CUSTOMER, THE RECEIVER WILL PICKUP AT A UPS FACILITY WITHIN 5 BUSINESS DAYS / CUSTOMER HAS CONFIRMED AND WILL PICK UP PACKAGES THIS EVENING.”

I never said anything of the kind and was waiting for his (UPS) return. I called UPS and this is what they told me. The way the store had shipped the package, they only come to the house one time, if you’re not home, it goes back to the UPS facility near you and you have 5 days to go get it or it’s returned to the sender. They are not coming back a second time. So??? Why leave a door tag?

This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard from a company. You have one shot to get your package or you’re out of luck?

I’m starting to feel like it’s olden times and companies are moving backward in their policies, rather than forward. Guess I’ll do it the old fashioned way and buy the product at the store instead of online.