One school didn’t ask permission and is now paying the price. One school did ask, and it paid off. There’s a learning moment for all involved.

Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Fla., began using as its mascot/logo a design identical to the Chrysler Dodge Ram logo some time ago. Like many high schools, it has applied the logo to its gym floor, stationery, T-shirts, notebooks and endless other places.

Chrysler caught wind of it and told the school it must stop using the logo by June 15. The cost to remove the logo from the school will be enormous: Just replacing the gym floor will be $15,000. And, of course, the student body, families and staff are ill-inclined to cooperate—imagine getting everyone to stop wearing their old school T-shirts—and they are now feeling angry with the Chrysler brand, even though the company is clearly in the right.

Now for the story of school #2: The Bailey Junior High Rams of Arlington, Texas, wanted to use the same logo but wisely decided to ask Chrysler, through one of its advertising firms, for permission. (In truth, the school had used a very similar logo before within a one-year permission span issued by Chrysler.)

Chrysler said no, but its ad agency, Story Worldwide (NYC), asked its client if it could help the school develop another ram logo that did not infringe on the company’s mark. Now Chrysler said yes. So Story developed a pro bono new mark for the school, working with a student team through video conferencing.

"They made the effort to get the permission, so we wanted to do something to reward that and it's been great to work with them," said Charles Coxe, Story’s editorial director.

www.npr.org
www.star-telegram.com

Have you seen a noteworthy new or redesigned logo or identity? Been amused, edified or otherwise affected by developments in the larger world of logo design? Please share news with the international LogoLounge.com community by emailing cathy@logolounge.com.