Geek Squad Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter To God Squad 357
An anonymous reader writes "A Wisconsin priest has God on his car but Best Buy's lawyers on his back. Father Luke Strand at the Holy Family Parish in Fond Du Lac says he has received a cease-and-desist letter from the electronics retailer. From the article: 'At issue is Strand's black Volkswagen Beetle with door stickers bearing the name "God Squad" in a logo similar to that of Best Buy's Geek Squad, a group of electronics troubleshooters. Strand told the Fond du Lac Reporter that the car is a creative way to spur discussion and bring his faith to others. Best Buy Co. tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it appreciates what Strand is trying to do, but it's bad precedent to let groups violate its trademarks.'"
Logo (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Obviously overzealous (Score:3, Informative)
They are not being necessarily being overzealous. In the US, trademarks MUST be defended to be valid. If they failed to defend against this possible trademark issue, then the next guy that does a geek squad look alike can point to this case to strengthen his case that the trademark has become generic.
Re:Logo (Score:3, Informative)
Must Defend Trademark (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Mod Squad (Score:3, Informative)
No, not really. Look at the logo. It's clearly based on the Geek Squad logo.
Re:Trademark (Score:5, Informative)
From 1114. Remedies; infringement; innocent infringement by printers and publishers [cornell.edu] emphasis mine
(a) use in commerce any reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or colorable imitation of a registered mark in connection with the sale, offering for sale, distribution, or advertising of any goods or services on or in connection with which such use is likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive; or
(b) reproduce, counterfeit, copy, or colorably imitate a registered mark and apply such reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or colorable imitation to labels, signs, prints, packages, wrappers, receptacles or advertisements intended to be used in commerce upon or in connection with the sale, offering for sale, distribution, or advertising of goods or services on or in connection with which such use is likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive,
Then again, IANAL
Re:Parody? (Score:5, Informative)
Nah, doesn't apply because it's not ironic, and it's not targeted at the Geek Squad.
If you did a car that looked like the geek squad car, with a logo that was the same except it said, "Week Squad" and ran around fixing peoples computers with a sledgehammer, and filming it...THAT would be parody.
Or in this case, if these people ran around praying over peoples computers and did it specifically to make fun of the Geek Squad, that would be legit.
Having the same logo on a legitimate enterprise isn't protected by parody/freedom of expression laws.
Re:Trademark (Score:3, Informative)
It matters a great deal.
That might be grounds for a dilution claim depending on details since it would be being used to advertise a product. This guy, however, isn't selling anything.
Re:Logo (Score:3, Informative)
He might be able to get away with 'God Squad' but he still needs a new logo.
Re:Orange and Black? (Score:2, Informative)
The Christian holiday is All Saints Day. There are other religions, you know. Samhain, a religious holiday for many Neopagans based on ancient Celtic traditions, is October 31, or sunset on the 31st through sunset November 1.
Re:Logo (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Trademark (Score:3, Informative)
The priest was intentionally trying to sell his services by associating them with Geek Squad. This is kind of what trademark is intended for. I know if I owned Best Buy, I wouldn't it want to be associated with what is frequently considered an international child molestation ring.
Re:Logo (Score:4, Informative)
Best Buy could do the right thing and still protect their trademark by offering to license his usage for a token fee like $1.
Re:Logo (Score:1, Informative)
Atheism isn't a religion. It's a state of having no religious belief. A person who has never been taught to believe, and a person who has been taught and choose to not believe are both Atheist.
Personally, I find it a bit naive and egotistic (thereby violating rules that you were taught to live by) to think that you know the answer to a question that nobody can undeniably prove and those that disagree with you are wrong (and will suffer eternal damnation!)