A case of mistaken identity

Ooops, it appears that the name I’ve chosen for my new business venture may be a bit too close for comfort to something that already exists … and there was me thinking that I’d checked everything and covered all the bases! As I’m just about to commission a design agency to work on the brand identity, thought I’d better make sure that they don’t start work on a ‘mistaken’ identity. So this morning saw me on the ‘phone to trademark lawyers and on the web trawling the Patent Office’s website - which is now the Intellectual Property Office don’t you know! www.ipo.gov.uk Apparently nothing is black and white in these matters, which of course means that people can make money out of trying to decipher and interpret the various shades of grey for you! Anyway, I’m holding onto high hopes that I’ll get to use ‘my’ name, whilst simultaneously racking my brains for an alternative that I like just as much if not more. Isn’t it ironic, I wasn’t sure about it until I thought I might not be able to have it … and then I suddenly realised how much I wanted it! Story of my life! How about you?

The eyes have it …

Another sticky sunny day, another trip into town - this time for a meeting with a design company. Oh how I love getting all “arty farty” and talking typefaces, graphic devices, brand identities and so on! It made me realise, for the umpteenth time, how differently different people perceive the world. And how communication seems so much easier when you’re all seeing the world in the same way / singing from the same hymn sheet / coming from the same place! Anyway, in the process of doing my preparation for today’s meeting, I’ve been trawling the web and flicking through magazines, etc, to find examples of design I like and design I definitely don’t. Thought I’d share with you a site I found that’s really worth a look - www.peepshow.org.uk (make sure you enter the site to experience it fully). Then there’s this other one that’s worth a listen, if just for the fact that it transports you straight to the Continent - www.agnesb.com

Let me know if you come across any inspiring design in your day-to-day travels, and if you don’t get what I’m talking about at all, don’t bother!