• Latest trends in logo placement: centered vs. left. Rules for creating and developing a good logo Where to place the logo

    A commercial organization has a website on which the company's products are presented. Is it possible to post on the website information about the addresses of retail chain stores (where you can buy these products) with images of trademarks (logos) of these retail chains without their permission? For example, “You can buy our products in the stores of the Auchan retail chain (photo of the Auchan trademark).” In this case, do we need permission from the retail chain to place their trademarks (logos) on our website?

    Answer

    Yes, on the website you can post information about the addresses of retail chain stores where you can buy your products.

    In this case, logos (trademarks, brand names) will be used for purposes unrelated to the activities of the manufacturer, i.e. your company is not a competitor of these networks.

    In accordance with Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation dated December 1, 2009 No., a simple mention of a trademark in articles, interviews, news or other materials on the site is not considered a violation, even if homogeneous products are sold on the site, provided that there is no risk of mixing it with the products owner of the mark.

    “Business entities that provide services in a particular area often place in their own advertising the trademarks of those manufacturers in respect of whose goods specific services are provided. In addition, in practice, cases arise when advertising of certain goods and services contains trademarks of manufacturers whose goods do not relate to the object of advertising, but with which the advertised goods can be compared. At the same time, actions to exercise the exclusive right to a trademark include, inter alia, placement of the trademark in offers for the sale of goods (performance of work, provision of services), as well as in announcements, on signs and in advertising ().* In turn advertising that contains untrue information about exclusive rights to the results of intellectual activity and equivalent means of individualization of a legal entity or product is recognized as improper (hereinafter referred to as Law No. 38-FZ). Therefore, in practice, questions often arise: is any placement of someone else’s trademark in one’s own advertising considered its use; if not, then what are the conditions and limits of admissibility of such placement?

    IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE ANOTHER TRADEMARK IF IT DOES NOT LEAD TO CONFUSION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ADVERTISER AND THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER

    The issue of placing foreign trademarks in advertising is not regulated in Russian legislation. However, the legislation of a number of countries provides for rules that directly qualify the unauthorized placement of someone else's trademark in advertising as an offense. For example, the relevant rule is contained in the US Trademark Act 1946 and the UK Trademark Act 1994. English judicial practice and doctrine reflect a ban on the unauthorized use of someone else's trademark, including a phonetically similar verbal designation, in radio advertising, as capable of misleading the consumer.

    However, Russian companies often use other people's trademarks in their advertising. Sometimes such situations lead the copyright holder to court. The following case can be cited as an example. An auto center selling cars used the trademarks of a large automaker in outdoor advertising and in advertising its activities in print media. The concern considered the company's actions illegal and appealed to the antimonopoly authority with a corresponding statement. However, the antimonopoly authority did not see a violation of Law No. 38-FZ in the actions of the auto center. The concern appealed this decision of the antimonopoly authority in court, while the courts made conflicting decisions.

    After repeated consideration of the case, the courts of three instances declared it illegal to place someone else’s trademarks in one’s own advertising placed in print media, and the placement of similar advertising using outdoor advertising was legal. However, the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation canceled the judicial acts adopted in the case and made a new decision. The decision of the antimonopoly authority regarding the refusal to recognize outdoor advertising using trademarks as a violation of Law No. 38-FZ was declared invalid. Judicial acts regarding the refusal to recognize as lawful the company's actions to distribute advertising in the media using trademarks were left in force.

    At the same time, the Supreme Arbitration Court found that when placing outdoor advertising, the car service center did not indicate in this advertising its field of activity in servicing cars, which could lead to confusion between the concern and the car service center. Whereas the actions of a car service center to place advertisements in print media were recognized as legal, since this advertisement clearly indicated the advertiser’s field of activity, and such advertising could not lead to confusion between the concern and the car service center ().

    This position was later consolidated “On some issues of the practice of application by arbitration courts of the Federal Law “On Advertising”” (hereinafter referred to as Resolution No. 58).

    Quote:“When applying these norms, courts should proceed from the fact that the use of a trademark that has been lawfully introduced into civil circulation is also possible by other persons in advertising their trading activities in the sale of this product. At the same time, the lack of permission from the copyright holder to use a trademark that individualizes a product does not in itself entail recognition of false advertising of services provided in relation to this product, if the consumer perceives such advertising as advertising of an independent service provider" ().*

    This approach is fully consistent with the legal approach of foreign countries. For example, French legislation establishes certain limits to the exercise of the rights of the trademark owner in relation to comparative advertising, namesakes, and the rights of third parties to a company name and sign. A similar exception to the general rule about the inadmissibility of free use of a trademark by third parties is also made for manufacturers of spare parts for goods of other manufacturers, for service providers in relation to goods of other manufacturers.

    ANOTHER TRADEMARK CAN BE USED IN COMPARATIVE ADVERTISING WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER

    Comparative advertising is one of the most common types of advertising aimed at asserting and demonstrating the advantages of one brand of product by comparing it with one or more brands of another product of a given class or type. This type of advertising is one of the most effective, since such advertising does not speak about the abstract properties and advantages of the advertised object, but about the specific advantages of the advertised product compared to similar products on the corresponding market.

    Moreover, in such advertising, the advertiser often places someone else’s trademark, which individualizes the goods with which the object of advertising is compared. Sometimes such a comparison appears incorrect and may constitute an act of unfair competition.

    However, as in the previous case, Russian legislation does not regulate the possibility of limiting the rights of copyright holders of trademarks that are used by other persons in their own advertising, in particular in comparative advertising.

    Let us note that this issue also arose in judicial practice. Thus, the manufacturer of the drug Flucostat, Pharmstandard OJSC, filed a claim against Pfizer International LLC for compensation for illegal use of the trademark. The lawsuit was motivated by the fact that Pfizer International LLC, being the manufacturer of the drug Diflucan, placed in its advertising leaflet a table in which the drug it produced was compared with other drugs, including the drug Flucostat.

    The court rejected the claims, pointing out that a trademark is a means of individualizing goods (services), and the exclusive right to a trademark can be exercised to individualize goods (services) in respect of which the trademark is registered. However, the defendant advertised his product, and not the plaintiff’s product; the mention in the defendant’s advertising leaflet of the designation “Flucostat” is not aimed at individualizing the defendant’s product, but at comparing the defendant’s product with other medicines ().

    At the same time, in judicial practice there are also opposing approaches. Thus, in one of the cases, the cassation court formulated the following conclusion: advertising of any product (including indirect use of a trademark in advertising) must presuppose the existence of legal grounds for the use of the corresponding trademark ().

    The plot of the case is interesting regarding the claim of the LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER Company against the open joint-stock company Nidan Soki regarding the obligation to stop violating the plaintiff’s exclusive rights to a figurative trademark in the form of stylized flowers. As the plaintiff pointed out, the defendant, in its “Meeting” commercial for Sokos juice, used a trademark owned by the plaintiff. In this case, the use consisted of the fact that during the course of the advertising video, bags and suitcases appeared in the frame, marked with images of stylized flowers, which were confusingly similar to the figurative trademark owned by the plaintiff. The courts satisfied the plaintiff's demands.

    This approach of the court seems unfounded, since, within the meaning of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, not any placement of a trademark in advertising can be considered its use. Moreover, according to klama, this is information disseminated in any way, in any form and using any means, addressed to an indefinite circle of people and aimed at attracting attention to the object of advertising, creating or maintaining interest in it and promoting it on the market. The law also reveals the concept of an advertising object, which is a product, means of individualization of a legal entity and (or) product, a manufacturer or seller of a product, results of intellectual activity or an event (including a sports competition, concert, contest, festival, risk-based games, bets) ), to attract attention to which advertising is aimed.

    Since one of the main purposes of a trademark is to individualize a product (service), a trademark placed in an advertisement can be considered used if its placement is aimed at individualizing the object of advertising. Accordingly, any indirect placement of someone else’s trademark in advertising does not require the consent of the copyright holder, since this trademark cannot be considered used.

    When qualifying specific information contained in advertising as an indirect object of advertising, it is also important to take into account the explanations of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation given in Resolution No. 58. Thus, such information that obviously causes the consumer to associate with a certain product for the purpose of attracting attention to it. Accordingly, if in addition to the main object of advertising, an advertisement also contains someone else’s trademark, which does not create consumer interest in the product (service) that individualizes the trademark, then in this case the placed trademark cannot be recognized as an indirect object of advertising.

    If goods on which trademarks are placed are used in advertising as props or other technical and (or) creative equipment, and these goods are lawfully introduced into civil circulation directly by the copyright holder or other persons with his consent, then their use cannot be considered a violation of exclusive rights the copyright holder of the trademark in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.

    Currently, judicial practice has formed a legal position according to which it is permissible to place other people’s trademarks in one’s own advertising. And such placement of someone else’s trademark will not be considered the use of a trademark, provided that it is not aimed at individualizing the object of advertising and its presence is not capable of causing an association in the consumer about the connection of the object of advertising with the copyright holder of the placed trademark.

    Sergei Petrovich Rogozhin,
    K. Yu. Sc., Associate Professor, Judge of the Intellectual Rights Court

    Advertising that contains information that does not correspond to reality, in particular, about exclusive rights to the results of intellectual activity and equivalent means of individualization of a legal entity, means of individualization of goods, is recognized as unreliable (). The advertiser (customer) is responsible for violation of this requirement.

    Actions to exercise the exclusive right to a trademark include, inter alia, the placement of a trademark in offers for the sale of goods (performance of work, provision of services), as well as in announcements, on signs and in advertising ().

    The Plenum of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation indicates that the use of a trademark of a product lawfully introduced into civil circulation is possible by other persons in advertising their trading activities in the sale of this product. At the same time, the lack of permission from the copyright holder to use a trademark that individualizes a product does not in itself entail recognition of false advertising of services provided in relation to this product if the consumer perceives such advertising as advertising of an independent service provider ().

    When placing advertisements, it is necessary to take into account the norm of Art. 1515 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. Thus, a person who has violated the exclusive right to a trademark when performing work or providing services is obliged to remove the trademark or a designation confusingly similar to it from the materials that accompany the performance of such work or provision of services, including from documentation, advertising, and signs. .*

    The person producing and (or) placing advertising, acting reasonably and in good faith, must check the legality of their use in order to avoid in the future any legal problems with other persons in the event of a violation of their rights by the distributed advertising, including in the event of their protecting their exclusive rights on the results of intellectual activity. This is especially important because in the cases provided for in Art. 38 of Law No. 38-FZ, it will also be held liable for violation of Part 3 of Art. 5 of Law No. 38-FZ, if it is proven that the violation occurred through his fault.”

    A professional help system for lawyers in which you will find the answer to any, even the most complex, question.

    "Mahogany Design".

    The rules for creating a logo are very important in such a responsible creative process. You, as the owner of your own enterprise and company, must understand that the logo is, in a way, the personification of your brainchild, and you need to be very careful, responsible and sensitive when creating it. In this article we will talk about how to competently develop a logo, as well as the rules for using your own label. Let's start with why this element of corporate style is needed at all.

    If you delve a little deeper into history, you can remember that even the greatest conquerors always had their own symbols. Under their banner, they burst into various lands, and many enemies, seeing familiar flags and designs on shields, surrendered almost immediately. Of course, time does not stand still, and the era of conquest has long passed, but it was precisely that symbolism that became a kind of progenitor of modern logos. You literally represent your own business to them, and under this banner you begin your own promotion, regardless of the type of services you offer.

    Rules for using the logo

    The rules for using the logo are very simple, but it won’t hurt to repeat this information once again. The first thing you should remember is the corporate identity, which will be recognized by every person who sees the symbols on an advertising banner, mug or on TV. The logo must correspond to the design of each advertising company, and even when developing ordinary booklets, the symbol must have its own place. The main methods of operating a label can be summarized in a short list:

    • Advertising placement(banners, billboards, leaflets, stickers, prints on clothes, etc.)
    • Internet. At the moment, the World Wide Web is one of the best methods for advertising, so use the logo in emails, on your own avatar on social networks, when designing a YouTube channel, and also almost everywhere where graphic design takes place.
    • Office– this is the home of your company, so corporate style is of particular importance here. Use the logo when decorating the walls, when creating a work uniform for your team, print it on introductory booklets, on stickers, and paste them over various elements of electronic equipment. Let the spirit of cohesion reign in the workplace!
    • Products. This is what distinguishes you from your competitors, so the presence of a logo even on small items of your production is an important component of the organization of work. The symbol can be placed both on the product itself and on its packaging. An equally good option is to print a label on bags and tape for wrapping boxes.

    This list of application options is far from complete. But your creativity and imagination is a very important point in the process of coming up with non-standard methods for using a logo. Examples include souvenirs for our own clients, various flags, business cards, as well as corporate clothing items such as caps, armbands and plastic badges. Never be afraid to experiment with this element of your corporate identity, trying to place it almost everywhere.

    Logo placement rules

    The rules for placing a logo are something that you should not forget about when developing a corporate identity. Of course, brand memorability depends on a high-quality logo, but even the best option in the world cannot be used in such a way that the client simply cannot use the product, booklet or website due to the fact that all the basic information is cluttered with your corporate symbol. The so-called “rule of thirds” will help us in this matter. In order not to go into professional slang, let's try to clearly understand what it is and how to use it in practice.

    The golden ratio rule when developing a logo

    Everyone knows such a mathematical definition as the “golden ratio”. It applies to absolutely all images, be it a drawing or a photograph, to sculptures, and even in music this rule can be found everywhere. There are legends that thirds were used by the Egyptians when building the pyramids, and the total age of the pattern is 4,000 years! When creating, the designer visually divides the working area for creativity into equal thirds vertically and horizontally. In the middle, a focal point of the entire area is formed, from which the work itself is drawn. But this principle is used not only in the process of creating a layout.

    Rule of thirds in logos: what is it?

    The posting rules also follow the law of thirds, which varies depending on the type of work you do. Let's say you are designing the home page of your own website. The rectangular page is visually divided into thirds, after which you determine the location for each content element. The logo itself can look good, either in the middle or in the corner of the allocated space. The most important thing is to observe the golden ratio! You can get inspired in the process of design work by looking at ancient sculptures, historical architectural monuments, various paintings, as well as simple logos of world-famous companies.

    Rules for logo development

    Not only the specialist you turn to for help, but also you yourself should know the rules for developing a logo. Very often there are such cases when the customer, overflowing with inspiration, seems to know what he wants. The basic requirements are given to the performer, but the designer does not have any specific composition. It’s good if the customer puts forward some basic requirements in terms of the approximate appearance of the logo, but often everything is done according to the principle “you are a professional - do as you see.” Naturally, the percentage of immediately approved work is extremely small, and in the end everything has to be redone from scratch, but with the participation of the customer. As you can see, this approach is not entirely logical.

    A logical question immediately arises: what to do? Do you really need to go and study to become a designer to get what you need? Not really. It is enough to be guided by a few rules that will help you not only create a high-quality technical specification, but also personally decide at the preparation stage whether your creative thoughts are moving in the right direction:

    • The logo must be beautiful— the first advice is primitively simple. Despite the simplicity of this statement, this is the first thing you need to remember! Beauty is a purely personal concept, because for some a black square is a masterpiece, and for others it is a simple geometric figure without any meaning. But what is beautiful to you? This question sounds more complicated, and it is not clear how to answer it. Everyone can distinguish hot from cold, and sour from sweet. Do the same with your design! Start thinking about what is not beautiful for you. Protruding corners, smeared elements - just select the main list of unpleasant-to-the-eye moments and eliminate them, leaving only what you like.
    • Memorability. What's the point of a logo if no one can remember it? The label should make such an impression on a person that he would want to tell his children about it. A pretty good result is also if the logo simply attracts attention and makes a person think that this brand is familiar to him. If the drawing does not evoke any associations or emotions, it is hack work that should be discarded. As an example, we can take the shapes and colors of, for example, road signs. They are so perfect that even a small child can easily learn each of them!
    • Transfer of specifics. A construction company will never make a children's toy its logo, and a banking institution will not choose hairdressing tools as its main symbol. The logo should reflect what you do. But at the same time, it is very important not to overdo it, since you can easily turn a simple picture into a complex puzzle, which you will have to spend a few minutes solving. This is unacceptable for a potential client, since the association in a person’s head should be born in a few seconds. You can take the best works of the last decade as an example to understand what is being discussed in these 3 points.

    Basic rules for creating a logo: how to create a task?

    Drawing up a high-quality assignment is a guarantee of successful cooperation with the contractor, so the following information will equally concern, primarily, customers, for whom an experienced specialist always adapts.

    Let's again resort to the list, in which we consider the list of basic questions that should be answered before drawing up the terms of reference:

    • Who is my client? What is my activity?
    • What is my target audience? Mass market or premium segment?
    • What result do I see?

    The rules of logo design are directly derived from these issues. Older people will not be interested in looking at a logo that is full of bright colors and contains figures of, say, stylish sneakers. Also, teenagers will not want to visit a place whose logo is a simple, strict phrase. Regarding the question of the result you see, think about where you see yourself in 10 years, and how you see your own company. A high-quality logo must fully correspond to its status and goals!

    The importance of the emotions evoked by a logo

    Of course, you are proud of all the achievements and type of services provided by your own company. But, unfortunately, it will not be possible to tell the logo about all the versatility of your business. The symbolism should be simple and evoke associations. The human brain perceives graphic information and colors much better than simple and nondescript text. The same thing should be remembered by performers who are lost among several creative ideas. Let your logo express home comfort if you sell furniture, or depict the face of a successful person in your logo if you offer financial consulting services of various kinds.

    Technical information for creating a logo

    We have learned the information above, now we need to understand the technical part of creating logos:

    • Form– this is the main message of the company. Let's start with her.
    • Historical overview. Will the label look timeless?
    • Deciding on the color scheme. Each shade carries its own message, don't forget about it!
    • Does the finished layout evoke any emotions?

    After this, the designer and the customer begin to remove all unnecessary things (if necessary). The final test is whether the logo answers the questions asked, and if the answer is yes, you can be satisfied. You definitely created a quality logo!

    Creation and development of a logo in the Mahagon-Design studio

    Trust your company to real masters of Mahogany Design.

    A logo is the face and business card of a brand. Its creation requires special attention, because a well-made logo can significantly increase the popularity and recognition of any brand.

    Creating a logo is not just graphic design, it is a creative process that requires theoretical and practical knowledge. In order to replenish your store of valuable knowledge, we present 12 “vital” rules for creating a logo.

    1. Preparatory work is required

    Start with developing sketches - this is the right path to a high-quality result. Simple sketches with a pen on paper will help determine the ideological lines.

    Make 20-30 sketches, and then work on variations of the final images based on them. If nothing works, start over, but don't ignore this stage. It is better to spend more time at the very beginning than to redo an almost finished job later.

    2. “Rule of balance”

    The logo should be attractive and pleasing to the human eye; to do this, maintain a balance of graphics, color, size, brightness, saturation, etc.

    Although rules are made to be broken, we should not forget that logos are intended for the masses, not for admirers of high art.

    3. Size matters

    The logo should look clear and legible, whether it is on an envelope, a web page or a big board. In order not to miss at a crucial moment, take a “test drive”: print the logo on letterheads, envelopes and posters and choose the optimal size.

    4. Use color wisely

    Basic aspects of choosing a color:

    Use colors that are close on the color wheel (for example, a “warm” palette includes red, orange and yellow);
    - do not overdo it with contrast, the logo should not irritate the eyes;
    - black and white and other two-color logos, as well as logos in gray tones, always look advantageous;
    - use color as a tool to influence a person (read about the influence of color on a person’s psychophysiological state here),
    - sometimes breaking the rules is good, but make sure that this risk is worth it;
    - experiment with different combinations and choose what best suits a given brand.

    5. "Logostyle"

    6. Font matters even more

    If a logo has text as part of the logo or tagline, you'll have to work hard to test dozens of font styles and sizes before making your final choice.

    Try everything: serif and sans serif fonts, italics, bold, semibold, etc.

    Follow the main points:

    7. Recognition comes first

    The purpose of creating a logo is to increase brand awareness. It should be “imprinted in the brain” of the average person (a good example is the logos of Nike, Pepsi, McDonald’s).
    The key to logo popularity lies through the skillful combination of all the aspects discussed in this article.

    To check whether a logo is recognizable, you need to experiment: turn it upside down or in a mirror image and see if it remains at least a little recognizable.

    8. Don't be afraid to be different

    Try to avoid copying someone else's design, develop your own style. Break the rules, try thousands of fonts and color combinations, play around with different programs until you get the desired result.

    9. Keep it simple and people will be drawn to you.

    It has been proven in practice: the simpler the logo, the more recognizable and popular it will be. A direct example is the Nike brand, whose logo is the most recognizable in the world.
    Follow this rule from the very beginning, highlight the necessary elements and cut off the unnecessary ones.

    10. Go easy on the effects!

    Freehand, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop are modern tools that have many filters and effects that can be used when creating a logo. But don’t get carried away, see point 9.

    11. The “conveyor” principle

    Follow the “conveyor” principle - go through the stages sequentially:

    Study;
    - brainstorming and idea development;
    - creation of preliminary sketches;
    - development of possible versions of ready-made logos;
    - presentation to the customer;
    - making adjustments;
    - repeated presentation to the customer.

    This will help systematize your work and get a more effective result.

    12. We don’t need someone else’s!

    Do not copy other people's works, it is immoral and illegal, use them only for inspiration. There are special website galleries that allow you to choose a specific style or artistic direction without violating copyrights. But it is better to avoid such routes. Be independent, creative and 100% original, and then success is guaranteed!

    The idea arose about a quarter of a century ago. In the 90s, the popularity of boxing was constantly increasing and during sparring, spectators could see company logos and various advertisements on the boxers’ bodies. In the mid-2000s, the Internet market developed rapidly, and along with it, the demand for wearable advertising increased. At the same time, if it all started with a temporary placement, then over time enterprising young people agreed to full-fledged tattoos on their bodies. For some, it has become a kind of business and a way of living. For example, in sunny Brazil there lives one such original, on whose body there are fifty advertising tattoos. Customers pay him monthly rent.

  • Dogs-"promoters"


  • It was a real knight's move: dogs became employees of the advertising agency! The original idea came to the minds of Novosibirsk advertisers relatively recently, and since then four-legged “promoters” have been walking around the city. Animals are dressed up in cool overalls with logos. Everyone is happy: passers-by are touched and tell their friends about the unusual dogs, customers are happy to watch the growing popularity of their companies, and pets earn their own vitamins and bones.

  • Logos on gifts

  • All kinds of sweets, alcoholic drinks, toys, stationery, accessories with branded symbols, original printing goods- an excellent solution for a corporate gift. Such souvenirs are designed to create a positive impression of the company and strengthen the corporate spirit of employees. A good example is coffee with a logo. This drink is simply irreplaceable in the team of any office. A delicious gift in non-standard packaging will increase the prestige of the company, surprise customers and allow you to stand out among numerous competitors.

  • Linen on the trees

  • Lingerie salon Slip&Bra has dressed up the forked trees on the city's main street into panties with its own branding. It would seem that Kirov is not Moscow, but even here you can come across brave customers and talented advertising specialists.

  • Fresh fruit


  • The New Hampshire-based company Fun to Eat Fruit specializes in seasonal local fruits, onto which logos, QR codes, slogans, and emoticons are applied using special technology. At the same time, the image is safe for health and does not wash off. It all started in 2007, when the father of two children, David, became concerned about the health of little lovers fast food and sweets. So the idea arose that healthy fruits would become more attractive to buyers if an image was applied to them. The original idea turned out to be quite successful and now the company’s website regularly receives orders to print not only naughty pictures, but also logos and short advertising messages.

  • Advertising on asphalt


  • Some pedestrians, walking along the sidewalk, look exclusively at their feet. How to turn them into clients? It's very simple: place a company logo or advertising offer directly on the asphalt. True, such advertising requires an exclusively creative approach. In the first photo, an excellent example of creativity is demonstrated by the business giant McDonalds restaurant chain. On the second - the restless Mr. Proper, having washed all the apartments, decided to work on the pedestrian crossing. But a century ago, in Arkady Averchenko’s story “Litmus Test,” the idea of ​​sidewalk advertising was presented as complete stupidity.

  • Cocktail with logo


  • Unusual cocktails are a feature of any modern party. The organizers of the festive event in honor of the new Cadillac ELC car treated their guests to a creative drink - the cocktail was decorated with the company logo. When creating an additional element, a stencil and edible silver crumbs were used.