Oops! I hear toothpaste can get out common stains.

This Romney logo is weak and not just because it looks like another logo. It feels forced and contrived. Not a great brand for someone whose business it is to connect with people. The story though, is how closely it resembles another logo in an unrelated industry.

There is nothing worse in my humble opinion than having my work be described as derivative. My logo-creating process usually does not involve checking out similar or (gasp!) identical logos until I ready to start culling the herd. Those logos that look too much like something else in-market never see the light of day.

A while back, I created an identity for a client that looked remarkably like the branding of another. It was pointed out to me after the site launch and materials had been printed. I was mortified and vowed to never let it happen again.

The lesson I learned as a creative is that there are lots of logos out there, and while your idea may be original to you, someone may have had a similar revelation. So check your work against what else might be in-market, especially among logos in the same business vertical as your client’s.

Another lesson I learned is to socialize your logo among a group of people who have no real stake in the project, preferably those that would be exposed to your logo in their daily lives. I have shown logos to bartenders, to people on the street and in coffee shops. The question that I ask is “what does this make you think of?” rather than, “do you like this?” This elicits a more thoughtful answer and a more actionable response.

My prediction is that the Romney campaign will trash this logo before this becomes too big a story. Let’s hope that this never happens to you!