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Ford launch lawsuit against Ferrari

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Shoshino, Feb 10, 2011.

  1. Shoshino

    Shoshino Irritant Veteran

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    Shoshino, Feb 10, 2011
    #1
  2. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Not really; Ford has had F series pickups since the 1940s. But yeah, I don't see the big deal.
     
    Blackthorne TA, Feb 10, 2011
    #2
  3. Shoshino

    Shoshino Irritant Veteran

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    ok, so they may not have copied it, but it certainly hasnt been an issue in the past 23 years
     
    Shoshino, Feb 11, 2011
    #3
  4. NOG (No Other Gods)

    NOG (No Other Gods) Going to church doesn't make you a Christian

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    Yes, but I don't think Ferrari had gotten up to a number that also happened to be Ford's best known (and I think best selling) brand today. I mean, who's heard of a Ford F430?
     
    NOG (No Other Gods), Feb 11, 2011
    #4

  5. The Shaman Gems: 28/31
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    I'm with Ferrari on that one, and I'd say Ford are being a bit too paranoid. First, as said before, Ferrari have been using the F's for some time. Second, and more importantly, the F150 is NOT a commercial product per se. It won't be sold to the general public, and thus can't "capitalize" on any "goodwill" the Ford model has built up. Not to mention that as a racing car by one of the premier world brands and a F1 model any "misunderstanding" between the two will probably be in Ford's favor. There are worse things for your car's name to be mistaken with than a F1 racer :) .
     
    The Shaman, Feb 11, 2011
    #5
  6. Shoshino

    Shoshino Irritant Veteran

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    also, its an abbreviation of the name, thus not technically in violation of any copyright
     
    Shoshino, Feb 11, 2011
    #6
  7. NOG (No Other Gods)

    NOG (No Other Gods) Going to church doesn't make you a Christian

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    Oh, I agree that it's silly and a waste, but Ford has 'good' reasons: money and ego. Money makes people do silly things, and ego is even worse.
     
    NOG (No Other Gods), Feb 11, 2011
    #7
  8. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    :lol: Yeah, like someone looking to buy a Ferrari is going to think "hey, what would be better for my image than for someone to mistake me for someone who is in the market for a pickup". Unless, of course, Ford is worried about the possible confusion surrounding the word "pickup". :)
     
    Splunge, Feb 13, 2011
    #8
  9. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Branding is extremely important to companies. Trademark infringement can dilute the perceived quality of the product (which is probably not the case here). If you're going to protect your trademark you have to protect it from everyone, not just the people you don't like -- if Ford allows this without a fight then they allow others who could capitalize on the trademark infringment an advantage in a legal fight.
     
    T2Bruno, Feb 14, 2011
    #9

  10. LKD Gems: 31/31
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    I had the same thought, T2 -- Ford is probably just going through the motions to ensure that no one can later accuse them of not defending their copyright. It's crazy that they have to do that, but logic gets thrown out the window once the Lawyers get involved.
     
    LKD, Feb 14, 2011
    #10
  11. Gaear

    Gaear ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful

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    It would be protecting trademark, not copyright (you can't copyright a word or number or their derivatives), but I don't know how crazy it is, really. If you were fantastically successful at marketing LKD Hotpants, would you want me to market my own brand of LKD Hotpants as well, even if I was a reputable hotpants manufacturer? ;)
     
    Gaear, Feb 14, 2011
    #11

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    No stealing my business ideas, you bugger!


    WTF are hotpants? Are they the ones with no butt?

    I say it's ridiculous because no thinking person would confuse a racecar with a truck.
     
    LKD, Feb 14, 2011
    #12
  13. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    [​IMG]
    Dear Lord, LKD, what on earth do people wear in your country if that's your initial query?:jawdrop:

    The blonde lasses on racetracks and certain sports also wear them in the modern era.
     
    8people, Feb 14, 2011
    #13
    Shoshino likes this.
  14. Shoshino

    Shoshino Irritant Veteran

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    I particularly love the way you phrased that
     
    Shoshino, Feb 14, 2011
    #14

  15. LKD Gems: 31/31
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    Here in the Great White North we wear ski pants over top of sweat pants. EVERYTHING is covered as much as possible because it gets so frickin COLD!

    So my ignorance of such matters should come as no surprise to anyone. Especially if you factor in the Mormon factor, wherein such revealing apparel is not encouraged. Which isn't to say that I didn't spend a great deal of my youth drooling over Daisy Duke in her denim hotpants!

    To continue this discussion about CARS, I will compare the sports car being designed by Ferrari to a pair of these horridly immodest "hot pants" ;) The Ford vehicle is more like a pair of overalls. While I might be worried about some brand recognition issues, really, no one looking for one is going to buy the other by accident. It's not just apples and oranges but apples and baseballs.
     
    LKD, Feb 15, 2011
    #15
  16. Shoshino

    Shoshino Irritant Veteran

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    since only one of them is for sale I dont think thats a potential risk
     
    Shoshino, Feb 15, 2011
    #16

  17. nior Gems: 24/31
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    Ah... I can hear the Italians say "Silly Americans." :D
     
    nior, Feb 15, 2011
    #17
  18. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    Pants with no butt?!?! They sound like coldpants - at least as far as your backside is concerned.
     
    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Feb 15, 2011
    #18
  19. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Exactly. Nor is anyone going to be motivated to buy the Ferarri because it has an model name similar to a truck. Although I understand the point raised that Ford feels it needs to protect its trademark even if it realizes the lawsuit is silly just to discourage others from doing something similar.
     
    Splunge, Feb 15, 2011
    #19
  20. Sir Rechet

    Sir Rechet I speak maths and logic, not stupid Veteran

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    Why anyone would even WANT to risk the connection to Ford's F-150 during these eco-friendly times is beyond me.. but I don't think Ferrari's reputation is built upon any larger degree of eco-friendliness either, so I guess it doesn't matter in this case.
     
    Sir Rechet, Feb 26, 2011
    #20
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