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Originally Posted by Tim Arnold
...but do we always have to be so anal retentive to the logo standards? I really think that FIRST just intended them as guidelines for teams so that their logo would not be abused.
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its not FIRST that is being so picky, it is the government regulations regarding logos and trademarks.
A registered trademark is granted only on the exact copy that an organization submits on a form that says "THIS" is our logo or trademark.
The only thing you are allowed to alter on your registered trademark is the size and color variations (color / two tone / B&W...) to allow for printing technology variations.
If you think about this for a minute it will make sense. For example: for many years the trademark of Xerox was a stylized 'X'. Xerox cannot own the letter X, only the exact font and proportions and style of the specific one they submitted artwork for. If this were not the case then either:
1. you would not be able to use any english characters or words as a logo, because you would then own ALL variations of those characters or words or
2. everyone would have to get permission from Xerox to use the letter X in any printed form (because they would
own every possible variation of the letter X !)
For these reasons any official use of the FIRST logo must conform exactly to the artwork that FIRST has registered (and provided to teams on their websites). If someone else makes a logo or trademark that is similar (but not the same) then its up to a judge to decide if they are infringing on the registered trademark.
If an organization does not adhere to the exact artwork of their trademarks, allowing their own organization or others to use variations of it, then they will lose all rights to it.