The London Museum is facing accusations that its new logo, featuring a pigeon and bird droppings, was copied from a design created by a husband-and-wife team from Manchester. Michael Wild and Rebecca May, who run May Wild Studio in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, are considering legal action over what they describe as a “striking resemblance” to their “Coo Pigeon” design.
Both logos depict a white pigeon on a white background next to a splat of bird droppings, intended to symbolise the grit and glamour of city life. May Wild conceived their logo 14 years ago and have publicly documented it through galleries, exhibitions, and social media, including a launch at the London Design Festival in 2018.
The London Museum maintains that its logo was independently developed by Uncommon, a global creative studio. Speaking to the Mail, Rebecca May said: “It does feel like a very David versus Goliath situation.” She added: “It is also ironic that the London Museum is now using a logo that was inspired by Manchester.”
Wild told the Mail: “Over the past 12 months we've done everything to enter into positive discussions but now we're at an impasse, so we are taking legal advice.” He emphasised that the dispute is not about money but about acknowledgment of their work, which was inspired by Manchester.
May Wild contacted Anti Copying in Design (ACID) to help in the dispute, but negotiations with the London Museum and Uncommon have collapsed. Dids MacDonald, co-founder of ACID, said: “All they wanted was for the London Museum to acknowledge the original concept which they created and which is backed up by compelling evidence over many years.”
