I'm doing the best I can…take 2

I started to write this post this morning, but could only get as far as the headline and the sentiment attached to it. I didn't have the emotional strength to recap the past week.

Seven days ago, my boss alerted me to a logo for another college. He felt it looked very close to our new logo. The new logo we've been developing for the past eight months. The new logo that was already on multiple objects in production. The new logo that has a 56-page brand book attached to it. The new logo that will be the "wow" factor to a press conference on April 8 when we officially go from college to university.

Initially, I wasn't worried. In my opinion, they looked nothing like one another. Sure, they both create the same abstract (common) object and they share one (primary) color.

But that would be like saying that these logos are all the same.

I contacted our trademark attorney on Thursday afternoon, to ease the anxiety of my boss. By Monday, I still hadn't heard from the attorney and my boss's anxiety had ramped up. There was no convincing him that, in my professional opinion (20 years in marketing and communications) this was not an issue.

As the week wore on, so did my nerves. When I finally spoke to the attorney, he gave me a lot of lawyer speak. First, he felt there was possible logo infringement. What the what?! How…how …how could anyone think these two images looked alike?

Tuesday night, I tried to cry it out. I've needed a good cry for several weeks and it's just not coming. when I mentioned that to a dear friend, she explained to me that I had no room in my heart or my head for the cry. And she was right. Sadly. I have no room for a good cry right now.

And as time went on, I was questioning my opinion. Not that I thought that the logos were similar enough to cause market confusion. But was I thinking that because I couldn't be objective?

I contacted several of my colleagues (and friends). People in the business, marketing in higher ed and marketing not in higher ed. Every single person agreed with me. "Not even close."

I wrote up a detailed email, recapping the options the attorney gave us, including the very "reasonable course of action to move forward with the good faith belief that we were infringing on another logo," as well as the opinions of our agency and four others in the business. I met with my boss yesterday afternoon. We met as an administrative team this morning.

As a group, we decided that we should move forward as is.

In 41 days we launch. In 41 days, we roll out a new logo. On banners. On signage. Unfurled down the side of a building. In the bookstore on merchandise. In 41 days, the cumulation of more than a year's work.

There will still be work to day the next day, but April 8 is the big day.

Between now and then, I will work out every day. I will take care of myself. I will eat healthy. Not in the way I would like. Not in the way that would contribute to my losing the last 10 pounds.

Right now, I have to accept that I'm maintaining my weight. I cannot gain anything, but I have to be okay with not losing. I'm doing the best I can and for now, that has to be enough.