UPS Logo Denied Copyright Protection
United Parcel Service may deliver millions of packages bearing its familiar brown-and-gold shield, but the company’s iconic logo doesn’t have enough originality to qualify for federal copyright protection.
The U.S. Copyright Office’s Review Board upheld decisions denying copyright registration for two versions of the UPS logo, finding that the designs lacked the creativity required under federal law, according to a report by The Fashion Law.
The decision involved two versions of the company’s shield logo: one featuring the shield alone and another incorporating the company’s lowercase lettering. The board determined that the logos’ individual elements and their arrangement did not demonstrate sufficient originality to warrant copyright protection.
As The Fashion Law noted, even some of the world’s most recognizable corporate logos may not qualify for copyright protection, regardless of their commercial value or widespread recognition.