The LogoWorks saga continues...

As the word has gotten out, more and more work has been reported questionable in the online portfolio of their site. No word from LogoWorks as yet, but it's speculated that at least two lawsuits are in the works, with many more to follow. This is highly entertaining and gratifying to those of us in the industry who've lately felt insulted by articles like this in the Wall Street Journal, and this, and this.

In response to the Wall Street Journal article, Chris Gee of The Prepared Mind wrote...

An open letter to the Wall Street Journal


Dear Wall Street Journal Editors,

My name is Christopher A. Gee and I am owner of an interaction design firm called Cube Interactive, LLC. I also run a design industry blog called ThePreparedMind.com for which I write regularly and record weekly podcasts.

I read your June 15th, 2005 article about the firm LogoWorks entitled “Firm Offers Design Talent For Logos at Bargain Prices”. It was a wonderfully written and upbeat article about a unique enterprise that utilizes the Internet to connect independent designers with small businesses in order to supply low-cost logos.

It gives me great pain to inform you that your reporters did not do enough homework with respect to LogoWorks. There is, by now, a great deal of evidence to support the notion that they have sold logos (or at the very least, represent them as their own work from their website) that were created by other designers, not LogoWorks or LogoWorks’ designers.

Please do not take my word for it. Compare this logo from LogoWorks’ site for client “Dutton Auto Body Shop”:




To the logo designed by designer Mark Fox as is shown on page 133 of the book “The New American Logo”:




There are plenty of other examples and I have been chronicling them on my blog, as have many other designers on other blogs.

I have always respected the Wall Street Journal and felt that it is a respectable publication. Please take care to address this issue within your pages so that a company that deals in VERY questionable business dealings will not be able to simply skate by without anyone calling these matters into question.

Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

Christopher A. Gee
http://www.thepreparedmind.com



Chris has expressed that everyone in the graphic design industry should pick up the charge and do the same. My own letter is in the works, I implore you to do the same. How gratifying would it be to see real-life ramifications brought about because of this? Think of the impact this would have, and the message it would inherently send.