Is hockey THAT far out of the mainstream?

[TBLfan 25]

Yahoo! news

U.S. Senate candidate on how campaign 'stole' Columbus logo

By Greg Wyshynski

Marc Delphine was fond of the logo a volunteer had designed for his campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in Oregon: a silver star wrapped in a star-spangled banner that his designer told him evoked the letter 'D' for branding purposes.

It certainly was a memorable symbol. In fact, it was already being used by the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, as Delphine was stunned to discover on Wednesday.

The Blue Jackets PR staff was alerted by fans over Twitter of the trademark infringement, and passed the matter along to their legal department and then to the NHL. Delphine said he received a phone call from The Oregonian newspaper about misuse of the logo, followed by "30 consecutive emails" from around the country about it.

"They were all like, 'What are you doing with their logo?' and I was like, 'I didn't make the logo!' and we pulled it immediately," said Delphine, a Libertarian candidate making history as the first openly homosexual man to run for the U.S. Senate in Oregon. "I'm not interested in any kind of infringement. We don't even need a logo."

He said a volunteer associated with his Web site developer created the logo and donated it to the campaign. As you can see, the Blue Jackets' current logo (right) was simply flipped from left to right and the red circle synonymous with the Ohio state flag was removed. Instead of a 'D' the logo actually makes a 'C' for Columbus.

Sometimes you get what you pay for, according to Delphine. "I don't know if you know anything about Libertarian candidates, but they typically don't have a lot of money coming in. I was thinking this was so nice, but it was too good to be true," said Delphine, a self-professed "huge sports fan" but not a hockey fan. "It's not very original."

The logo was removed from the candidate's official Web site, though it remained on Delphine's Facebook page as of Wednesday afternoon.

He said he hoped his candidacy wouldn't become synonymous with this logo foul-up. "If anything, I hope this raises awareness for the Columbus Blue Jackets," said Delphine.

[furlanitalia 1]

Yup. I honestly don't know if I would have recognized it at first though. The change in angle does play a big part along with the wave on the edge of the flag. Still though, I'm surprised no one noticed it was a sports teams logo.

I wonder if he'll try using Anaheim's logo next. At least he won't have to flip it.

[Chadd 916]

A gay politician in a non hockey market doesn't recognize a hockey team logo from a small market thousands of miles away? Is there any way this could be less shocking?

[TBLfan 25]

I'm sure he wasn't the ONLY person that saw the logo before giving it the ok.

[Chadd 916]

I know a few people in politics at a high level and not a single one of them has a clue what is going on outside of that arena.

[chippa13 1844]

Remember, this was a campaign being run in Oregon. Had this happened in Ohio then I might give the thread title a little more weight.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I'd compare this to George Harrison (My Sweet Lord) v. The Chiffons (He's So Fine). It's not like the guy took the EXACT logo and called it his own...he made one that looks enough like the CBJ one that he can be called on it.

[TBLfan 25]

It's flipped horizontally and stars are added over the "dot."

If someone took a Cleveland Indians logo and flipped it, you think it would go unnoticed until the ad was launched? *Obviously discount the subject matter of the logo, we're talking about recognition.

[chippa13 1844]

You're comparing the recognition of a star coming out of a flag and a caricature of an indian, of course more folks would know the indian head. Heck, I might not spot the Blue Jackets logo and I consider myself a bit of a hockey fan.

[furlanitalia 1]

I think the reality is I wouldn't notice a NFL or NBA logo (most likely). So I guess it isn't that ridiculous that this slipped through in what's a non hockey market

[RadioGaGa 162]

...Heck, I might not spot the Blue Jackets logo and I consider myself a bit of a hockey fan.

I thought that was a secondary/shoulder logo. I didn't realize that was the main logo.

[TBLfan 25]

You're comparing the recognition of a star coming out of a flag and a caricature of an indian, of course more folks would know the indian head. Heck, I might not spot the Blue Jackets logo and I consider myself a bit of a hockey fan.

Either one is a logo, with obvious design elements.

This is just a flag and the logo is plenty recognizable.

[chippa13 1844]

And if the Blue Jackets logo was at ATM's on every street corner, in ads all over newspapers and magazines, and shown in commercials all the time then it would be very recognizable, as well. Honestly, you're charging at windmills.

[furlanitalia 1]

...I don't recognize that logo. Well, I recognize it, but I can't tell you the company or where I've seen it. Wait, I got it after I read Chippa's post.

But there's a good example, being outside of the american bank market I didn't get it right away.

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/corplogos.php

Just for fun...I got 32 of 36 in just over 2 minutes. Mind you...I'd say all but 1 or 2 of these are more top of mind than the CBJ logo.

[gxc999 7]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/corplogos.php

Just for fun...I got 32 of 36 in just over 2 minutes. Mind you...I'd say all but 1 or 2 of these are more top of mind than the CBJ logo.

I somehow got up to 33, and what the hell is sporcle?

[furlanitalia 1]

31.

[Chadd 916]

I somehow got up to 33, and what the hell is sporcle?

I guess we both should have looked at the top of the quiz page. That's the only one I missed

[RadioGaGa 162]

It's all about top of mind...those (with the exception of Sporcle) are all pretty common. CBJ, in Oregon...? maybe not.

[Chadd 916]

When the Blue Jackets first introduced the logo, this was the first thing I thought of.

http://welcome.topuertorico.org/reference/flag.shtml

[dsjunior1388 81]

I agree with TBL, I think I would have spotted it immediately, but then again I'm an avid "UNi Watch" reader who eats up the preseason previews and pretty much know every jersey, hat, or logo in the NHL, NFL, or MLB, give or take. I make it a point to notice stuff like that, and I also notice whenever a high school or college use a pro logo (ie. the Packers, U of Georgia and Grambling all using the same "G" logo.) but that's just me, I don't know how many people try to notice that stuff as much as I do.

[shotty 7]

http://www.sporcle.com/games/corplogos.php

Just for fun...I got 32 of 36 in just over 2 minutes. Mind you...I'd say all but 1 or 2 of these are more top of mind than the CBJ logo.

i got 32 as well, all within 1:30, then sat there and stared the four for 4:30: boeing, anheuser-busch (which i guessed, but didnt spell right) sporcle & sprint

[docar15 1]

Are we saying that hockey is not a pissing post of professional sports (thank you commissioner Bettman)? I tried comparing memorabilia prices, some of the most expansive hockey cards can fetch $50K, most expansive baseball cards sell for millions. Some NFL star glove sells for thousands, while Potvin’s old Revolution blocker is on eBay for $89.95 Buy-It-Now.

Well maybe NFL player’s glove was a bed example.

[Trooper 8]

I wouldn't have noticed it. For one, it's the context, I'm not expecting a hockey logo therefore I probably won't recognize it. Second, it's Columbus. Put the wheel and wing on something and it wouldn't go unnoticed.