We’re never finished preaching against the use of clip-art logos in any design project. This also includes those so-called ‘logo design software’ and ‘instant logo’ sites that are nothing more than Flash driven clip-art logo generators. It also includes designs that are too close for comfort to already established logos. Well, here’s a perfect example of what happens when you get caught out using clip art on a fairly high-profile project, and the embarrassment that’s almost sure to follow.
According to the News & Observer, staff of the North Carolina Lottery Commission were more than a little red-faced when it was discovered that somebody had used an image from a stock image library (see below) as part of their new logo. The image was originally introduced at a commission meeting as part of the $billion state lottery’s ‘new look’. The commission had originally agreed to hire a professional agency but beforehand, one of the staffers had created a logo containing the clip art. Lottery chairman Charles Sanders saw the in-house work, decided he “liked it” and went introduced the logo at the next meeting to a less-than-enthusiastic response. Now, here’s where the story gets fairly amusing (alas, at the expense of all involved). The commission later claimed that “when Tom Shaheen, the lottery director, presented the logo to the lottery commission, he said the staff needed to check copyright and trademark laws to see whether the logo could be used. Later that day, a lawyer for the lottery concluded that it could not use the logo.” That’s not quite how the original story ran – it first appeared with the title Lottery staff caught cheating on logo design and a stronger slant (ie: ‘cheating’). It now appears that somebody demanded a retraction (and got it – sort of). Bottom line, the commission have eggs on their face, and what should have been a great PR opportunity turned into a PR debacle – all because someone thought that they didn’t need to hire a professional designer to work up their new look. In further attempted damage control, the commission refused to release images of the logo to the press, despite claims by the media that it is public record under state law. A little late, however, as here’s a screen capture from the local TV station – News 14
It seems the clip-art was, ahem, ‘borrowed’ from Watton on the Web, a Christian Clip-art site who, it would seem, may actually allow their clip-art to be used in this manner. At least according to their site disclaimer page – “all of the clip-art images from Watton Clip Art are in the public domain and can be freely used by anyone.”
So, here’s a classic example of ‘just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should”.
Word.
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