LogoThief.com is a logo website dedicate to catching copycats who steal logo designs from other businesses. Anyone can go online to Logothief and report logos they think have been plagiarized. From a hotel in the Philippines using the Harrod’s logo, to a television show that stole its title card from a French fashion designer, Logothief has caught a myriad of companies in the act and shamed them all publicly.
Logos are identifying trademarks for a company, and logo plagiarism, done knowingly or not (there’s at least one example of small businesses hiring designers only to get logos they have no idea are plagiarized until someone tells them) can unfairly attract customers seeking one thing -- online especially -- only to get another. LogoThief’s logo websites seeks to put an end to logo plagiarism by exposing the thieves in public and forcing them to redesign after being caught.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Logo Plagiarism
- Opportunity for businesses to create innovative tools or services that help detect and prevent logo plagiarism.
- Online Reporting Platforms
- Development of platforms that allow users to easily report and expose instances of plagiarism in various industries.
- Public Shaming Culture
- Utilizing public shaming as a tool to discourage and deter plagiarism in the digital age.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Graphic Design
- Graphic design companies can offer logo authentication services to help businesses protect their brand identity.
- Intellectual Property Law
- Law firms specializing in intellectual property can assist businesses in taking legal action against logo plagiarists.
- Online Reputation Management
- Opportunity for companies to provide services that help businesses recover from the negative impact of logo plagiarism.
