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Losing trademarks because of generic use | 148 comments | Create New Account
Comments belong to whoever posts them. Please notify us of inappropriate comments.
Losing trademarks because of generic use
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, December 12 2012 @ 12:57 AM EST
Apple is certainly not the first company to face this problem. If they were
serious about trying to save their trademark I would think they would mount an
ad campaign to try to convince people not to use the term generically. Such a
campaign is not guaranteed to be a success, but if they do nothing it would seem
that either they are oblivious to the issue or don't care. Or they *like*
people using the term generically figuring that it helps them somehow.

This is slightly OT since it is a *different* way to loose a trademark, but I
remember my father telling me (I have never attempted to verify this) that the
Coca-cola company was in danger of loosing their trademark due to disuse,
people saying "Coke" instead of "Coca-cola". Initially they
mounted a "say Coca-cola, not Coke" campaign. Then they got smart and
also trademarked "Coke", apparently thereby saving both trademarks.
(IANAL, I am simply repeating a story, yada, yada ...)

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

Maybe Apple will grizzle about that point
Authored by: JamesK on Wednesday, December 12 2012 @ 08:29 AM EST
Yep, I know of one person who thinks all smart phones are iPhones and all
tablets, iPads. Hang on a sec while I reach for a Kleenex to wipe the tears
from my eyes. ;-)


---
The following program contains immature subject matter.
Viewer discretion is advised.

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

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