Originally Posted by OniFactor
so, each time a car magazine wants to run a 5 page spread on Mr XYZ's hot customized 197x Ford Burrito, the magazine has to go through all the legal motions to contact ford and make sure it's okay? i doubt it.
No they don't have to, they are reporting on Mr XYZ's customization not the only the Ford.
this is just a case of ford having a right to do something, but it's not helping anyone. i mean, seriously, that's like some movie star suing someone for starting a fan club. guess how many fans are gonna be left, after that? all they're doing is shooting themselves in the foot.
No, I disagree, any orginization needs to have its name registered. Ford for example own the Mustang name, so a fan club using that trademarked name wouold legally need to get Ford's permission.
Let's look at another related issue. Ford promoted Shelby Mustang's in the late 1960's. They also used the Cobra name and symbols, but in the late 1970's or early 1980's Crysler came out with a Shelby model, how could they do this? easy, Ford never owned the Shelby name. That belongs to the Shelby American Car Company, who manufactured modified Mustangs, with Ford permission, in the 1960's.