CSIRO or Cisco
The new CSIRO logo bears a striking resemblance to that of Cisco Systems.
A little while ago I noticed that the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (or CSIRO) had adopted a new logo.
There didn’t seem to be any fanfare about it at all and I cannot find a single press release about the change. What I find interesting is how the government science agency’s new logo bears a striking resemblance to that of Cisco Systems, a United States-based information technology company.
Designing unique logos is a difficult business at the best of times and I am not suggesting that CSIRO has engaged in any dishonesty. It just that their logo looks remarkably similar to Cisco’s.
CSIRO’s logo is probably a logical evolutionary leap from their previous one, which consisted of a stylised outline of Australia transected by lines. Cisco’s logo, which dates back to 2006, is derived from an earlier symbol that featured a stylised Golden Gate bridge.
I can’t help but think that given their shared history in Wi-Fi development and the fact that there is only one letter difference in their respective names, a similar logo may be inevitable for two organisations that seem intertwined in several ways.
Comments
4 responses to “CSIRO or Cisco”
one of those lovely little coincidences… unless a takeover of Cisco was part of the recent patent settlement 😉
I dought there was a take over bid CISCO has more sense not to waste money where CSIRO has no Cents but still waste money!!
Hi, I notice the same similarity after visiting the Persuasive Technology 2013 conference webpage. I would say that they are too similar to be only coincidence. I had to google this issue, because someone would have noticed it before me, and I ended up here. 🙂
If you think its similar to an existing logo now then go back a few years. It was basically the minolta logo rotated 90 degrees. So blatant that minolta said change it or we will.
http://web.archive.org/web/19970712032057/http://www.csiro.au/