AVID:Logo Hunting

Logo Hunting

You're probably asking yourself, how do people keep finding all of these rare and obscure logos? Well, this page's goal is to answer just that. If you would like to learn what all that's about, you've come to the right place. Let's get started!

What is logo hunting?

Logo hunting is finding logos from any form of media, whether that be television, movies, and even other formats such as video games.

What video formats/areas could these logos be in?

There are many video formats around, ranging from well-known to obscure. Here is a brief list of the most common media formats, however do keep in mind that there's many more formats that aren't listed here.

Home Video Formats

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
HD-DVD
DVD
DivX (DivX, Inc.)
LaserDisc
VHS
Betamax
Video CD (CDi)
Video-2000 (Only in European territories)

Other Formats

Film reels (standard/Super 8mm, 16mm, 35mm and 70mm films)
Cartrivision
CD Video
DVR (Tivo, Replay TV)
U-matic
Capacitance Electronic Disc (CED)
Video High Density (VHD, only in Japan)
Video Cassette Recording (VCR, Only in European territories)

Other places to find logos

Syndication prints on TV
Bonus features on DVDs, Blu-rays, etc.
The internet (YouTube, Vimeo, Internet Archive).
- Streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, The Roku Channel, HBO Max, Discovery+, Paramount+, BET+, Peacock, Pluto TV, Xumo, Prime Video, Freevee, Crunchyroll, Crackle, Tubi, etc.)
  - IPTV services.

Where can I find these formats?

Online shops such as eBay are usually the best place to find logos, as they have pretty much every format up for sale, from U-matic tapes to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs. This might be a bit expensive as people are trying to profit from selling these old tapes. You also might have to pay for shipping as well. Though sometimes on eBay you don't even need to buy because the seller has shown the opening logo as one of the images in their listing. If you find a rare logo this way be sure to save the image and upload it to the wiki ASAP, otherwise the image will be lost when the listing goes down after the item has been sold.
Garage sales, thrift/donation stores and flea markets are also good ways to find old formats. It's usually much cheaper finding VHS and DVDs this way.
Check your old tapes! Your old home-recorded videocassettes from the 70's to the early 2000's may contain some (possibly rare) logos on them.

Suspecting a fake find?

The Internet, more specifically, video hosting websites like YouTube, have a lot of videos of logos uploaded for archival purposes. However, some users like to make fake logos, and some of these fake logos are created to intentionally mislead others. Here is a list of things to look out for to spot a fake logo.

Make sure the source/film is a real thing. For example, make sure the movie that the "logo" comes from is indeed a real movie. In case of this happening, try looking for a different source that contains the same logo/variant.
Brighten the capture or increase the contrast in an image or video editor. If you see anything strange, such as boxes covering up parts of the logo, then it could possibly be a fake. However, studios sometimes lazily black out their bylines to create new variants of older logos. These are usually real, but check the original source just in case.
Usually, the quality of the logo must match with the rest of the video. For example, if the quality is HD, yet the audio is in bad quality, there is a chance the logo could be fake.
Always look close and keep a keen eye on any logo capture you find. You may spot something suspicious that you wouldn't have found otherwise.
If the video says "Reconstruction" or "Remake", then it is fake.
If you have suspicions on a logo/variant being fake, but you're unsure if it actually is or not, you can create a thread over on the forum asking for help.

Other tips

These are tips that are small, but could be important.

Researching is key on finding logos. If a company doesn't have a lot of information, you could try researching for some information. Sometimes, there might be undiscovered logos, due to poor researching.
Do not search lost logos directly! You will likely get no information, even after a lot of research.
Try looking for logos on different sources. International websites are good on these ones, as they would probably contain rarer logos. You may never know what could appear!
If you are looking on the internet, try searching the company name on a website that has videos/photos, such as the Internet Archive. If you look hard enough, you may spot a logo that maybe could even be a new variant!
Use an IPTV service to find logos. They have more content on than normal streaming services, and have less, if any, restrictions on what they can add. This would make movies with rare logos easier to find.

That's about it. Have fun!