jes72mustang

I don't know if everyone has heard about this yet, Ford is filing suits against parts companies in our hobby that use mustang in their names. Many of our regualr suppliers will be adversely affected by the lawsuits. There is a write up on it in the newest Mustang Monthly which I just received yeteredat and you can read more comments here:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=635959

I plan to write to Bill Ford, and encurage others to do the same:

William Clay Ford, Jr.
Ford Motor Company
P.O. Box 685
Dearborn, MI 48126-0685

If you do write, Please you proper format and grammar and run spell check.

PLease pass this information on to everyone you know in this hobby.

earlymustang

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.d...ONEY/605100302

For me the biggest questions are:

#1 Why now?

Popularity boom of the Mustang right now?

Paranoid about protecting trademark. Branding issues not favorable to the Mustang or Ford name?

Employee/s looking for recognition, job security?


#2 What do they plan to gain from this?

Money/Power/Credibility?

Plan on getting into the parts business themselves?


Trying to look at it from Ford's perspective, I honestly cannot think of why they would pull this kind of BS. Why ruin one of the few positive things you have going for your company. Money in royalties? A drop in the bucket from where they are standing. Why turn down FREE advertising to all of these reputable companies that in turn help you sell more new cars?


Ford - get your head out of your ***

Shelby (taking similar action as Ford) - you have plenty of money. I don't have a problem with you taking legal action against companies trying to get rich from using your name without something in return. I do have a problem with your company/s restricting sales of Shelby/Cobra equipment and parts to those who can only prove that they have an authentic Shelby. Good luck to those trying to build or outfit a clone/tribute car. That will be good for sales huh? I hope you are giving your Childrens Foundation ALL of the money that you receive from suing every individual that uses your name in a tribute car - shame on you! Go down to Florida and disappear.

earlymustang

by the way, don't be surprised if this site becomes a target as well. [:'(]

MustangPammie

The biggest issue here is they waited many years to sue. When you have a trademark, you have to protect it, and if you fail to do so, you can lose a case very easily.

Research shows more than 350 trademarks on the word Mustang.

In the article above, someone mentioned he got a letter 20 years ago but nothing happened. This quote is from the top domain attorney in the country, "One minor note that I should point out is that when you provide notice of infringement, you start a clock running on your ability to enforce against them. If you give notice, and then don't do anything for a number of years, they may have an equitable defense that your inaction gave them a justifiable reason for thinking you weren't going to do anything." (that was in response to me going after someone for trademark infringement, which I'm doing at present).

What's next, auto dealerships with Ford in their name?

67Rally

This is a current trend in corporate brand protection. Gibson Guitars banned their dealers from using images of Gibson guitars on their websites. Meaning a dealer would lose their dealership if they snapped a photo of a 1968 Les Paul, placed it on their website, and attached a price tag.

Gibson also sued Paul Reed Smith for trademark infringement over the shape of a PRS guitar.

Fender and Gretsch were threatening legal action against any eBay seller who used the word "Gretsch," "FilterTron," "HiloTron," "Country Gentleman," "6120," etc. to describe their listings. In otherwords, if you want to sell your Gretsch Country Gentleman equipped with FliterTron pickups, you can't use those trademarked names in your listing.

This is all part of corporations seeking an income source (penalties, royalties, license fees, and legal fees) to bridge their waning sales revenue.

baddog671

I say BOOO at Ford for that. So now we're not allowed to use the name freely without being sued. That takes out all the heretidge of that model...

mayh3m

a. you're not allowed to use the name if you are receiving profit from it. this web site will not be affected.
b. f.u. ford
3. i think earlymustang has the right idea behind ford going into the parts business. noone wants to go to the dealer to buy an item when they can get it for half the price at an autoparts store. ford loses money here. tho i think it's a bit too much to go after companies that sell items for a vehicle that ford no longer produces (classic mustangs). again, f.u. ford. any car ford produced after 1968 is crap anyways. their trucks, on the other hand....

MustangPammie

Why do you feel this site makes no profit?

mayh3m

well now that i think about it, this site may profit from advertisements. automotive companies pay to advertise on here, which in turn relies on the mustang name to draw us in. touche'. f.u. ford.
perhaps the site should be renamed to "forums pertaining to that certain car that put a certain blue oval company on the map in the muscle car years", have fun designing that logo.

MustangPammie

Shelby is also going after companies, just read it on another board. I asked the leading domain attorney about this (on another board) and am waiting for an answer on his take on the timing of this, i.e. waiting SO long before going after someone ... you can't do that.