It was the 2020 David and Goliath battle, with Apple mercilessly targeting a small company with a logo “similar” to its own – although the company logo contains a pear (instead of, you know, an apple). But if you were hoping for a dramatic and bold ending to the Apple / Prepear saga, it’s time to control your expectations.
The case was finally resolved, with the Prepear meal planning app agreeing to slightly change its logo to avoid causing “dilution of distinction” from Apple’s. Because who could recognize the Apple logo, one of the best logos of all time, after seeing a representation of a totally different fruit by a small company?
According to documents filed with the United States Patent and Tradekark Office (USPTO), Prepear altered the sheet on top of the pair, giving it a new straight edge (below). And it looks like it was enough for Apple, which has already consented to the change. At least this was resolved much faster than the ongoing and confused battle between Nirvana and Marc Jacobs.
In August, Super Healthy Kids (parent company of Prepear) shared an Instagram post (below) explaining the situation and what it was like “a moral obligation to stand against Apple’s aggressive legal action against small businesses and fight for the right to keep our logo “. The company also shared a petition to maintain its logo, which ended with 270,000 virtual signatures.
If we’re honest, we’re just as perplexed now as when the case first came up. Prepear’s altered logo looks almost identical to the version Apple resented, suggesting that it wasn’t the use of the real fruit that bothered the trillion-dollar company – it was just the leaf. The change is so small that we must ask ourselves if it was worth the effort (and certainly money) on Apple’s part. And it seems that Twitter agrees:
That whole case of the Apple logo and Prepear is really ridiculous. I love Apple, but sometimes they really struggle with the most stupid and unnecessary things.February 10, 2021
How many tens of thousands of dollars were spent on lawyers to change this sheet design😐 https://t.co/VBp0FtBg8UFebruary 10, 2021
Still, we are pleased to prepare that the case has been resolved amicably without the company having to compromise its project a lot. It is one of the most important logo contests we’ve seen in recent months, but at least it has a peaceful – if not a happy – ending. If you’re embarking on a logo design project, our logo design guide will help you create something truly unmistakable.
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