No one “qualified” to fix COSOMA logo?

The Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) is facing fresh public backlash over its visual identity, with critics arguing the design looks cheap and fails to reflect the organization’s financial stature amid ongoing controversies surrounding royalty disbursements.

“Are you telling me all these significant amounts COSOMA disburses for the creatives it cannot afford to hire a professional to rework their logo?” commented one social media user.

However, COSOMA Communications Officer Catherine Mitungwi told Malawi24 that the society has already been trying to change the logo, but efforts have been stalled by a lack of qualified applicants.

“We previously advertised for a call for logo redesign proposals, but it wasn’t successful as applicants did not meet the requirements. And here we re-advertised it. Waiting to see how that will go.. But there has always been a plan to change it, and we are working on that,” she said.

Mitungwi also clarified that the current logo was designed years back by an external agency, noting that procurement rules prohibit the society from doing it in-house.

She defended the current design, stating, “It entails the core mandate; Promoting and Protecting Creativity. It visually represents creativity, protection, and unity in the creative industry.”

Despite this context, a veteran design expert with nearly two decades of experience, who spoke to Malawi24 on condition of anonymity, validated the public’s concerns. He noted the emblem lacks corporate proportion and relies on visual clichés like microphones instead of simplicity.

The expert praised the logo’s underlying concept, comparing its potential evolution to the early, highly detailed Apple logo. He advised that if COSOMA’s new search for a designer is successful, they should not just commission a new image, but demand a comprehensive Brand Style Guide package, the industry standard for corporate entities, which includes proper color variations, clear space rules, and minimum size requirements.