Use of state image/outline in logo?

[schnit]

Can anyone help clear this up for me?

My designer has put together a pretty cool logo for my company, it features the state's outline with a banner going across it with my company name.

The problem is that I've only seen one other distillery/winery/brewery with a state on the label. See the link below for image.

http://www.highwest.com/spirits/36th-vote-barreled-manhattan/

I've Googled it for the past week and I can't come up with anything. I've spent a few hours in liquor stores just looking for someone using their state and I'm not seeing anything other than above. I don't know if companies can't do it, or if they won't do it because it may hurt sales when they go into other states.

If anyone has any input, I'd appreciate it!

The regulation with the TTB is written as follows:

Miscellaneous. (1) Labels shall not be of such design as to resemble or simulate

a stamp of the U.S. Government or any State or foreign government. Labels, other than

stamps authorized or required by this or any other government, shall not state or indicate

that the distilled spirits are distilled, blended, made, bottled, or sold under, or in

accordance with, any municipal, State, Federal, or foreign authorization, law, or regulations,

unless such statement is required or specifically authorized by Federal, State, municipal, or

foreign law or regulations. The statements authorized by this part to appear on labels for domestic

distilled spirits are “Distilled (produced, barreled, warehoused, blended, or bottled, or any

combination thereof, as the case may be) under United States (U.S.) Government supervision”, or

in the case of distilled spirits labeled as bottled in bond, “Bottled in bond under United States

(U.S.) Government supervision”. If the municipal, State, or Federal Government permit number is

stated on a label, it shall not be accompanied by any additional statement relating thereto.

[agporte]

http://www.carolinabourbon.com/

[jharner1]

I'm not an IP attorney, so take this for what it's worth, but the TTB language (which is also similar to FDA language regarding same, among other regulators) is written to prohibit giving any kind of official imprimatur to your product. In other words, you can't make it seem like your product is the State's official bourbon, or that it has any kind of formal endorsement or relationship to a state or country where none exists. If the image is in the public domain (which it likely is), you can do just about anything with it.

[schnit]

Interesting, I'm really wondering about this.

The Carolina posted above would seem to confirm my suspicion in that you can't use the state outline? It appears they flipped the state 180 degrees horizontally and then modified it's shape so that its recognizable--yet still "just a random geometric shape". See below.

I'd imagine if using a state outline were within the regulations they wouldn't have flipped/edited the state?

Also, here's the image of high west in the similar fashion as above, however it's the exact state outline and isn't distorted or flipped.

[Sudzie]

We were approved for our bottle in January. the State of Maine is clearly shown. But it does not portray the State Seal.

[Sorghumrunner]

They used the NC/SC combined outline, it looks to me like it is in the normal position, nc outer banks on the right, tennesee/nc state line on the left...

Interesting, I'm really wondering about this.

The Carolina posted above would seem to confirm my suspicion in that you can't use the state outline? It appears they flipped the state 180 degrees horizontally and then modified it's shape so that its recognizable--yet still "just a random geometric shape". See below.

I'd imagine if using a state outline were within the regulations they wouldn't have flipped/edited the state?

Also, here's the image of high west in the similar fashion as above, however it's the exact state outline and isn't distorted or flipped.

[CountySeat]

I read the regulations to permit the use of a state outline. It is also done by Pure Kentucky Bourbon.

[schnit]

Awesome. Thanks for your help everyone!

[agporte]

Interesting, I'm really wondering about this.

The Carolina posted above would seem to confirm my suspicion in that you can't use the state outline? It appears they flipped the state 180 degrees horizontally and then modified it's shape so that its recognizable--yet still "just a random geometric shape". See below.

I'd imagine if using a state outline were within the regulations they wouldn't have flipped/edited the state?

It took me a long time to figure out what you did. But I finally figured it out. You took the state of South Carolina and flipped it. Their logo shows both North and South Carolina in their correct orientation with the border shown.

[schnit]

It took me a long time to figure out what you did. But I finally figured it out. You took the state of South Carolina and flipped it. Their logo shows both North and South Carolina in their correct orientation with the border shown.

DOH! I saw the line and just figured it was a river. As someone who loves travelling through throughout the U.S. I can't believe I didn't see that it was both states.