Face Sues Butt

[severine]

http://www.kplr11.com/news/kplr-north-face-south-butt-story-092809,0,5432810.story

My favorite quote:

I did try to explain with a great deal of candor to counsel for the North Face that the general public is aware of the difference between a face and a butt.

:lol:

Here's the dude's site:
http://www.thesouthbutt.com/

 

[Geoff]

I think The North Face is completely right in suing the kid for using their logo upside-down in a tee shirt. It's protected intellectual property.

 

[severine]

I'm not savvy on the laws regarding this, but it was mentioned on TGR that in the past, satires have been protected under the 1st Amendment. I imagine that's the route they're going.

 

[drjeff]

I'm not savvy on the laws regarding this, but it was mentioned on TGR that in the past, satires have been protected under the 1st Amendment. I imagine that's the route they're going.

All depends on how much resemblence there is with the satire. The issue more often than not isn't the words, but the symbol and how close the symbol inquestion is to the actual (even if it's flipped upside down) - and this is where you might find one judge who sides with the big company and one with the small upstart company based on individual interpretation - just like some music copyright cases where the original artist calls into question if the new artist lifted a beat for their new song - subtle interpretation issues

 

[wa-loaf]

Parody is one thing basing your whole company off if it is another.

 

[Geoff]

Parody is one thing basing your whole company off if it is another.

Right. You can lampoon McDonalds and their golden arches. You can't open up McDowell's with Golden Arcs and the Big Mic. You'd also get sued for using their logo on a tee shirt.