Exclusive:  Logo Winner had some help? Capture the Cool winner too similar to Alexa logo SALINE, MICHIGAN MARCH 20, 2005 The winning logo for the Ann Arbor's 2005 "Capture the Cool" contest may have been less than the creative inspiration of a Michigan-based design firm.    Shown to the left, the logo looks like a slight derivation from the existing logo for Alexa, the search technology firm owned by internet retail giant Amazon.com.

The purpose of the Capture the Cool contest was to create a logo that would be used to promote the downtown shopping districts of Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The winner, the Northville-based The Exclamation Point, received a $1,000 honorarium.

Perhaps they should change the contest name to "Copy the Cool"?  If the winner was inspired by the Alexa design, this information should be brought forward.  The first item in the contest rules on the Ann Arbor Ad Club's website clearly states "All artwork submitted must be original".    Could this be a coincidence?  Sure.  But judge for yourself.

Further digging revealed that the one of the companies that helped design the Ann Arbor Ad Club's website is non other than "The Exclamation Point".  In fact, it mentions this at the bottom of the a2ac.org website ["Developed by AUTOMATYK, The Exclamation Point, SHESHE.SEO, and HMB Group"].  Was this is a fair/unbiased contest??   Shouldn't the contest have been limited to firms that haven't done business for the Ad Club?

We have asked the AAAC to respond.  Developing...