The WWF Logo: Pandas, Wrestling, and Lawsuits
When it comes to recognizable logos of major NGOs and other international conservation organizations, one of the most iconic designs is that of the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) adorable black-and-white panda. Although this might seem like an extremely simplistic and basic design, there are quite a few interesting stories associated with this famous panda.
The inspiration for this logo came from an giant panda called Chi-Chi which was sent to the London Zoo from China in 1961, the same year that the WWF was being formed. As they were aware of the fact that they required a strong and recognizable symbol which would overcome all cultural and language barriers, the WWF’s early founders agreed on making the giant panda it’s official mascot. The first sketches of this logo were created by Gerald Watterson, a British environmentalist and artist. Based on these initial designs, Sir Peter Scott (one of the founding members of the WWF) penned down the final logo. Although the overall design has been updated several times since it’s inception, the panda remained relatively unchanged.
The WWF’s panda symbol soon became a registered trademark and it’s currently subject to international intellectual property laws. Additionally, the acronym “WWF” is also a registered trademark and should not be used to endorse of promote any products or services in any way, shape or form. This “WWF” trademark soon led to a famous legal battle against an unlikely opponent. The World Wrestling Federation (now operating under the name World Wrestling Entertainment) utilized the letters “ WWF” for their marketing material and general advertisement. As the World Wrestling Federation had no legal claim to the “WWF” trademark, they had to re-brand themselves as the “WWE” (World Wrestling Entertainment), leading to a victory for the World Wildlife Fund(it should be noted that they obtained a considerable monetary compensation from this wrestling entertainment organization).
Although the WWF was formed with noble intentions and has done a lot of good for the animals that inhabit this world, they might have indirectly contributed to (or indirectly influenced) the unfair distribution of resources for conservation projects. People usually prefer to support cure and adorable animals and partially thanks to the WWF logo, pandas are in the public spotlight and now get a lion’s share of all resources contributed to conservation operations. Despite all the contributions utilized to increase the giant panda population it has arguably not been successful as pandas are extremely shy animals which tend to avoid mating when kept in captivity (especially in zoos). Additionally, pandas are relatively inconsequential to their ecosystem and the existing natural order when compared to other critically endangered species.
In conclusion the logo of the WWF has impacted our modern understanding of conservation of endangered species way deeper than initially planned.
