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Over the decade, the art of copying and stealing other people's content and ideas has settled comfortably in the mainstream across the globe. What formerly would constitute an act of piracy is now a commonplace, everyday occurrence. Isn't it time to give these 'borrowers' a tribute, host a gala dinner and hand out awards?

Today, it is possible for anyone to borrow, copy or steal any original idea, and use it in any given format without even a slight modification; all this is performed in broad daylight with little to no concern. Ideas are taken, re-modified and re-released, but who cares, aren't we too busy to notice or in reality there is really nothing new to notice, in the first place? Today, every second major ad-campaign announced today is either a cut-and-paste operation from foreign campaigns, leading to exact duplications, same for copying of foreign TV commercials and even the movies. Just change the angle, slightly twist the logo, insertion of random letters here and there in the name identity, add some local flavor, and voila!!! A supposedly new identity is created.

Because of millions of websites and look-alike logos, it matters critically who owns what? There is no reason that one shouldn't have a clear image and name identity, 100% original and 100% owned. Are we becoming too complacent in stealing movies, downloading music and buying bootlegged merchandise, that we are losing the value system which formerly protected the sanctity of original ideas and rewarded creativity? Where the bar of creativity was once raised as a subject of studying and observing, the bars have now been taken down. We are left with a continuously recycling branding process, where new identities are created, expire, and re-built. If one would chart all the graphic development, creative slogans, branding ideas and corporate identities, it would clearly indicate that innovative progression is almost dead, whereas decades ago, the establishment of a fresh new idea would spark hundreds of others, in a race of competitive creativity. A higher level of creativity was proudly displayed and equally respected but not copied.

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Naseem Javed, recognized as a world authority on corporate image and global name identities, is a harsh critic of casual and accidental naming. He is a dynamic speaker on corporate image and branding issues, and is also the author of Naming for Power. He founded ABC Namebank International, an image and branding consultancy over 25 years ago.
Website: www.abcnamebank.com