macnn
04/03/2008, 2:25pm, EDT
Thursday, April 3rd
Apple vs. New York over logo design
Apple is claiming that a new logo for New York City's GreeNYC campaign is too similar to its own. According to Wired, the GreeNYC logo shows a stylized apple with a stalk and a leaf that bears a resemblance to Apple's famous logo. When the city applied for a trademark on the logo, Apple filed a formal opposition, claiming that a trademark grant on the logo would "seriously injure the reputation which [Apple] has established for its goods and services." The city of New York stated, in response: "The city believes that Apple's claims have no merit and that no consumer is likely to be confused. This well-known city is using its new design in a variety of contexts that have absolutely nothing to do with Apple Inc."
The next step in this battle will be an independent survey to determine whether or not consumers are confused by the logo.
Apple recently filed for a new trademark with the European Trademark Office, simply entitled Thinnovation. Apple has been using the term in slogans ever since it revealed the MacBook Air on January 15th, inserting it primarily into web and print advertising. These uses are the focus of the International Classifications in the trademark filing; the trademark would also apply to installation and maintenance, as well as educational and training purposes.
Filed under: Apple
Other story tags: New York City, New York, NYC, trademark, wired
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Don't worry Apple!
Apple, fire half your lawyers and get back to making stuff we might want to by with the savings.
If you do not take any and all steps to protect your trademark, you dilute it. This is the only reason they do this. They expect to lose, but it's important that if someone in the future uses a design much closer to the official Apple logo, that they are not able to show that Apple didn't object to NYC using their logo so they should be allowed to also.
I would have thought that Apple's lawyers would be filing such a complaint on instruction. I think it less likely that the lawyers have acted on their own initiative without permission.
de Villiers
Apple takes thousands of steps to "protect" it's trademark. This is just one of the stupid ones. In fact if they loose the case, they weaken there trademark because there is now another precedent set making it easier for someone to win another suit that apple might try.
Another example of Apple causing injury to there own reputation via keeping lawyers busy.