Comments on: Apple Orders Bar to Cease and Desist “iPod Monday”

By: Dempsey

Dempsey — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 09:44:16 +0000

Looks to me like some low-level lackey is assigned to surf the web for non-Apple uses of Apple trademarks, then sent an email automatically. I bet this is the kind of events that Apple Marketing loves: free advertising, brand recognition.

By: waldo

waldo — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:10:08 +0000

how are they going to lose their trademark from this? They can only benefit from the bar and they stopped it. It’s the ego thing.

By: Ed

Ed — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 15:42:24 +0000

Yes, Zune Tuesday or Zune Sunday will fit in there just nicely.

By: anthony

anthony — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:21:52 +0000

webonics, the difference is that those are english words, in which case trademark can only be enforced against products that might confuse the public (nobody confuses the Civic Auditorium for a car or a Braeburn apple for a computer). iPod is not like that, it’s a trademarked product name and nothing else. apple has to defend it or they lose it, even if it means going after obviously non-threatening cases like this one. lame, sure, but that’s the law.

By: webonics

webonics — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 16:30:12 +0000

Ryan is right but two years of lapsed response, especially when they were made aware by the bar, is not actively protecting the trademark. Also, the trademark cease and desist should only be relevant to products and services that would interfere with Apple’s product services. Otherwise, Honda could send cease and desists to every “Civic” Theatre to change their name; Apple could sue grocers for advertising “Apples”, and Microsoft could take legal action against NBC for the “Office”. This is just another case of Apple maintaining a closed environment, disenfranchising its user base and falling prey to its own paranoia.

By: bob

bob — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 16:11:46 +0000

apple has to enforce they’re trademark – otherwise they’ll just be another kleenex or xerox… it’s unfortunate but that’s part of the requirements of maintaining a trademark. don’t do this and they could lose all trademark protection…

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 15:31:42 +0000

Companies have to actively protect their trademarks. Otherwise they could loose them. It’s the law.

By: Badger Badger Badger

Badger Badger Badger — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 08:51:50 +0000

It might be that Apple doesn’t want people to think the iPod Monday thing is a regular event co-hosted by the company. Though, I think the bar can easily rename their share-your-playlist event to something else to appeal to the increasing number of Sandisk Sansa, Zen Zune owners. The bar could be losing business from these people who feel somewhat alienated in what seems like iPod-exclusive party.

By: Hornswaggled

Hornswaggled — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:04:49 +0000

I used to actually like apple. After this and the iphone skin issue I have lost complete respect for this company. They need to embrace these things, dont they realize this is free and great advertising.

On the flip side this bad publicity of them demanding everyone to stop using their name/images is ridiculous. Hey if you want to do free advertising for my company go for it.

They need a good butt kicking as their ego has grown out of control.

By: mathew

mathew — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 23:06:44 +0000

Coming soon: Zune Monday!

Meet in the telephone booth at 4th and Main…

By: webonics

webonics — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:59:22 +0000

Sometimes Apple’s aggressive and persistent hunt for trademark and copyright enforcement “cuts off its nose to spite its face”. If Apple wants to keep its leading marketshare with the iPod, they must continue to develop and evolve communities…particularly in light of the paradigm shift that is currently occurring on the web (web 2.0) in social networking.