ESA liberalizes use of its logo

Hardly any logo is as present as NASA's. From T-shirts to backpacks to socks, "Meatball" and "NASA worm" can be found on almost anything that can be printed. For the visibility of the European Space Agency ESA, this is of course the worst case scenario. To counter the omnipresence of the US space agency, ESA is now liberalizing the use of its logo. This should make it easier to create merchandising items.

Until now, ESA has been quite strict about the use of its logo. It could only be used by those who could prove a close cooperation with the European Space Agency. ESA also reserved the right to have a say in the design of its products. NASA's logo, on the other hand, can be used by anyone - and anyone can earn money with it. The only condition: It must not give the impression of official cooperation. As a result, the NASA logo is widely used in German-speaking countries. Even if very few people - especially the younger ones - know what it's all about.

As the ESA has now announced in its corporate blog, it has decided to ease the requirements for use. In the future, a simple request will suffice to be allowed to put the signet on merchandising items. Collaboration is no longer a requirement.

ESA Logo and NASA Logo on Artemis I;
© NASA

Apply for ESA logo license easily online

You can apply for a license quickly and easily using an online form. In addition to a contact person, all that is required is a description of the branded product, the planned quantity, the calculated sales price and the sales territory. Once the ESA approves the license, sales can begin.

The agency's rethinking should please many space fans. After all, there was often a lack of suitable merchandising items. But it remains to be seen whether the ESA logo will overtake NASA. Nevertheless, this step is very welcome. Finally, being visible in the public is a good sign for a self-confident European spaceflight.

PR ESAESA Licence Request

Header Image Credit: ESA

Written by M. Weissflog

Read 69 times so far

ESA

Nice to read article? Easy to support project!