Refreshing a brand is tricky business. Take for instance Woolworths’ new logo. You may have heard of the recent legal challenge California-based Apple has mounted to prevent Woolworths, an Australian-based supermarket, from using the logo arguing it’s too close to their own. Woolworths insists its logo is not an apple and contends the “stylized ‘w’” or “a piece of fresh produce” fits with the company.

Sure, it makes sense if Woolworths isn’t interested in getting into the technology business. But the grocer opted to apply for a blanket trademark that may include electrical goods and technology, although they currently don’t have any plans to do so.

According to the BBC, “Apple is reportedly concerned that the supermarket may start to make electronics products that would be in direct competition with its own offerings.” And a Woolworths spokesperson has said they can’t rule out the possibility of getting into the technology business.

Refreshing A Brand
Here’s the deal: when choosing symbols for a logo be careful you’re not reflecting a brand personality of another influential, on-trend brand. Doing your due diligence through legal trademark search and focus groups can save a lot of headaches down the road. People know when they’ve seen something before, even if they can’t quite put a name to it.

Pitfalls associated with brand logo similarities are avoidable. No brand has quite the same DNA. If a company stays true to the purpose of conveying what makes it unique, a company should be able to create a new logo that is fresh and distinctively different in the marketplace. The key is not letting the brand message get lost in translation.

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