[native-lang] Please share your opinion: Logo usage for N-L projects (xx.openoffice.org)

Hi all,

in the Branding Initiative we're going to define how our new logo should
be used - and among others there are different opinions on the necessity
to provide a logo that contains the native-lang ISO code in front of the
logo. I our last IRC meeting we wanted to ask the native-lang projects
about their thought - and here I am ;-)

In general the logo should not be surrounded by any text or graphics to
keep it distinct from the elements around it. But some exceptions will
be made for a subline with text below it (like project names) and the
OOoCon logo (no final agreement by now) that will be allowed to be
positioned nearer to the logo than other elements.

Even this reduced space (half the height of the "O" in the logo) doesn't
allow a position exactly at the side of the logo. So without another
exception combining the logo with the N-L ISO code would be prohibited
and would have to be prosecuted by Oracle legal as trademark owner,
because a trademark not being defended will be decided non-existent by
the courts.

I know that some of the native-lang projects combined the old logo with
their ISO code in this way - and Sophie and Cor mentioned on the
branding list their strong support for keeping this possibility.

Sophie wrote:
> This is very important that we are allowed to use an iso code
> personalized logo. This means that through our local events, we can
> advertise our community, identity and culture in an official way.
> [...] we can advertise that we are official members of this
> community. If we do not have this opportunity, this means that we
> are equals to those who will provide the xx.openoffice.org logos, we
> won't have more rights than them, and that means also less
> recognition from the project.
>
> If this is a cost (meaning euros or dollars) issue because we have to
> buy the xx.openoffice.org name, we should discuss it through the
> project and see how we can solve this with the local associations.
> And this is also important for the br.openoffice.org project.
>
Rosana described possible trademark problems with the creation of 
hundreds of different logos, but in my eyes this is just one simple rule 
that defines
- who is allowed to                  (only official OOo projects)
- add a well defined code            (released at the projects.OOo site)
- to a exactly defined position      (in front of the logo,
                                       fixed position of the dot)
- in a single font, size and color   (part of the spec file)

If you think it would be worthwhile to evaluate the legal aspects of 
this idea, I would go and ask in the trademark group for legal advise 
how this can be achieved.

*So please tell me* :

Do you think such a logo is not only a "nice-to-have", but an important 
identification and marketing topic for your native-lang community
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/File:NLC_logo_proposal.png ?

Would it be enough to use the project's name below the unchanged logo as 
reference for the N-L projects (here two different drafts for the 
marketing and the francophone project)
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/File:Subline_proposal.png
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/File:Example-logo-nlc-with-line.png

Or should we only have an area for native-lang content with the reduced 
whitespace at the side of the logo like Rosana proposed (with or without 
a textual area used here for the OOoCon description):
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Branding_Initiative/branding_guidelines_draft#Proposal_for_Conference_and_seasonal_Logos

Best regards

Bernhard

PS: If not everybody here (and in your native-lang communities) knows 
about the Branding Initiative, please have a look at our wiki area: 
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Branding_Initiative
As a consistent look and feel is important for OpenOffice.org, we'd like 
to invite all the creative people from the different N-L projects to 
join us at [email protected] to share their ideas about 
how OOo should look like all over the world and help us to define rules 
applicable to every graphical appearance in public.