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Download This Topic Previous topic Next topic	Such a thing as design plagiarism?
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Christopher Harrop

Juke Box Hero

Joined: 22 Apr 2005

Posts: 43

Location: Aurora Publishing

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:31 pm

The Virginian-Pilot, February 24, 2006:

The Journal Review, Crawfordsville, Indiana, April 3, 2006:

Denise Covert

Maestro

Joined: 25 Jun 2005

Posts: 399

Location: Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:36 pm

I won't comment on the obvious. . .because I really don't know how I feel yet about copying other people's designs, since I haven't really done it and it's never been done to me. . .

However, I wonder why they didn't go with a serif headline, since it would more closely match the Marlboro lettering. I can guess the sans serif is their lead font, but sheesh, if you're bold enough to put a big swath of orange (it is orange, right? or am i seeing things?) on your front page, you should have the freedom to mess with your font rules. *shrug*
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martin gee

Ninja

Joined: 15 Jul 2004

Posts: 851

Location: the merc

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:00 pm

wow.

oc register 1999:

when i did this cover, i wanted to use the lucky strike logo since that was the specific company in the movie AND metropoli did the same thing a year or 2 before. but everyone said marlboro is more iconic. so i gave in.
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douglas e. jessmer

VizEds Moderator

Joined: 19 Mar 2004

Posts: 1364

Location: Tampa Bay (Clearwater)

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:24 pm

In the Crawfordsville situation, I'd say it's out-and-out copying. Come on -- it's the same treatment with different typefaces and not quite so much polish.

Martin, your OC cover works just fine. There's a difference between having the same idea and copying the concept element-for-element. Coincidences do happen!
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Ernie Smith

VizEds Moderator

Joined: 03 Jul 2004

Posts: 726

Location: Linked in Norfolk, Va.

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:54 pm

Come on, if you're going to take a great idea like this and borrow it, at least put your own twist on it.
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Ashley Tarr

Juke Box Hero

Joined: 12 Dec 2005

Posts: 49

Location: Moline, IL

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:24 pm

While those are obviously copying, I don't think the concept is as much stealing as an easy design treatment. That kind of Marlboro treatment is something that stands out and is so easy to make, so I think we'll just see more of these types of pages where cigarettes are concerned.

Denise Covert

Maestro

Joined: 25 Jun 2005

Posts: 399

Location: Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:29 pm

Ashley Tarr wrote::

I don't think the concept is as much stealing as an easy design treatment. That kind of Marlboro treatment is something that stands out and is so easy to make, so I think we'll just see more of these types of pages where cigarettes are concerned.

I disagree, Ashley. Florida and New York both banned smoking in public several years ago. I lived in both states at the time, and don't remember seeing this treatment at all. (Don't ask me what I did see, nothing really stood out.) But regardless, there's more than one way to tell this story. I think it would have been less egregious if the second paper didn't have a huge skybox and nameplate, just like the V-P does -- it really emphasizes the similarities.
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The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.

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scavendish

VizEds Moderator

Joined: 08 Mar 2004

Posts: 761

Location: Chicago Tribune

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:42 pm

Given the amount of pages that you can see online these days (either the day of publication or in someone's portfolio), this is a pretty common occurance.

But this may be a new record in page theft.

I'm probably one of the most understanding people you will find concerning young designers at small papers ripping off other people's ideas. For a lot of people, it's a way to learn. But wow . . .

If the person who did this is on this board, I have a word of advice: I would never put that in your portfolio.

Kristin Lenz

Contributing editor

Joined: 23 Aug 2004

Posts: 125

Location: boston globe

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:52 pm

don't copy. it's ickie, like cooties.

besides, dudes here http://shadowplaystudio.com/smoking.html have us all beat.

motion graphics are hot ..... Cool

fordr

Maestro

Joined: 07 May 2004

Posts: 461

Location: Detroit Free Press

Posted:
Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:43 pm

Ashley Tarr wrote::

I'd be willing to forgive the borrowing of the Marlboro pack style (seriously iconic), but the little stuff, like the headline being in small type on either side of the hammer hed, and the quotes in ears on top of the red. That's stuff that made "the original" shine, and that what's being ripped off (and poorly.)

If you must steal, steal the idea, not the execution.
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