Agreement reached in clash of logos

A trust that runs a sexual health programme for secondary school pupils has agreed to give up its logo, allowing the New Dunedin Hospital to keep its design, which is strikingly similar.

Dunedin’s Theatre in Health Education Trust used a graphic created by BrandAid Designed Communications as a logo for the trust’s Sexwise programme.

A problem arose after it was noticed the hospital project team was using a logo that was too similar for both to continue.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said the matter had been resolved.

The New Dunedin Hospital logo would be registered as a trademark, she said.

The theatre trust had been accommodating and agreed to assign its graphic to the ministry, the spokeswoman said.

Dunedin firm BrandAid, which developed both designs, agreed to create a new logo for the Sexwise programme at no charge.

Both BrandAid and the trust issued statements, saying the design previously used as the Sexwise logo was initially supplied as a small graphic element for an information card.

"The Sexwise graphic was not originally commissioned, designed or supplied as a logo," BrandAid owner and creative director Luke Johnston said.

"It was a small graphic element intended to represent a heart and an X, on an info card."

Mr Johnston said the trust later extracted it and used it as a logo and BrandAid was now happy to provide a logo that better represented the Sexwise programme.

Trust chairman Mike O’Brien said the trust was glad to have the opportunity to refresh the Sexwise logo.

The new logo included a cultural element that better reflected the diverse communities the trust worked with, he said.

"We’re very grateful to BrandAid for creating a new logo for us at no charge."

The trust has been providing health education programmes throughout New Zealand for 30 years. It uses theatre to promote wellbeing, equity and self-determination.

The Sexwise programme challenges and motivates young people to explore healthy relationships.

Development of the logo for Dunedin’s planned new hospital cost the Ministry of Health about $4000.

A ministry spokesman said in July it expected the matter to be resolved without any additional costs being publicly incurred.

However, a ministry spokeswoman said it incurred "some relatively modest costs".

"We can’t disclose further details due to the settlement agreement [with the trust].

‘‘We think the costs were reasonable to achieve a good outcome for both parties."