Galway City Council responds as embarrassing €28,000 logo likenesses emerge
The local authority unveiled a new logo that cost €28,000 this week, but striking similarities with several existing corporate trademarks have emerged
Galway City Council says it has begun the process of trademarking its new logo in Ireland after it emerged that it is almost identical to the logo used by a Belgian shopfitting company.
The local authority recently spent €28,000 on a “brand evolution project” that was paused in response to vocal opposition, but unexpectedly unveiled a new logo on Thursday.
Following the publication of the council’s new branding, however, Galway Live reported that its new ‘G’ logo was virtually identical to that used by Gondella, a shopfitting firm based in Nazareth, Belgium.
It has since emerged that the council’s new logo also bears a striking resemblance to the emblem used by Gousto, a British meal-kit delivery company, which was designed by F37 Foundry.
The new logo is also very similar to that of GoodBytz, a German food-tech start-up, which was designed by the company’s in-house personnel with help from brand studio, Fabio Nobile Design Co.
Asked about the possibility of trademark infringement and whether it had taken steps to register its new logo, a spokeswoman for Galway City Council said it was “now undergoing the trademarking process in Ireland”.
Momentum behind a campaign to retain the previous logo had been building immediately prior to the announcement on Thursday morning that the local authority had proceeded with the controversial rebranding.
Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan Cheevers is set to bring a motion before the next meeting of the council to “Keep the G”, reflecting the recently expressed opinions of prominent figures in the local business community.
Apart from strong similarities to existing corporate trademarks, the new Galway City Council logo has also been somewhat unkindly compared to a toilet seat on social media.
The trademarking process in Ireland begins with a search of existing brands and logos through the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). A submission is made and the application will be published, after which other parties have an opportunity to object if they feel it infringes on their rights.