BMW Logo Police?

[Darryl Cainey]

Just wondering if the BMW Logo Police will force the MOA to refrain from using custom avitars that Members have designed that incorporate the dreaded Roundel?

Just askin!

 

[PGlaves]

Just wondering if the BMW Logo Police will force the MOA to refrain from using custom avitars that Members have designed that incorporate the dreaded Roundel?

Just askin!

Probably!

It is their intellectual property. While I personally think licensing (like Harley Davidson) would be a better approach to promoting the marque, that then requires that they vigorously check to see if any individual use is licensed. BMW has selected a different way to protect their property - use it their way or don't use it. Period.

I think it is the wrong approach, but then I don't know anything about German or European Union law as it relates to the protection of intellectual property rights. In this case their lawyers might know a bit more than I/we do.

 

[JoeDabbs]

I have a buddy over on the Chromeheads site that has a big ol' BMW roundel tattoo. I hope they won't have him redo his tattoo to comply with the latest corporate guidelines!

 

[lkchris]

I chose my avatar from one provided by MOA ... so it's their fault!

 

[MCMXCIVRS]

I guess I'm in trouble then.

 

[akbeemer]

I chose my avatar from one provided by MOA ... so it's their fault!

Thought that was from an old Hopi Beemer Club.

 

[statdawg]

Just wondering if the BMW Logo Police will force the MOA to refrain from using custom avitars that Members have designed that incorporate the dreaded Roundel?

Just askin!

This would make an interesting What Would You Do show.

 

[mika]

This would make an interesting What Would You Do show.

Don't know the show but the real interesting thing may be if and when BMW would ask their clubs to enforce

 

[WalterK75]

I can understand BMW protecting their goodies, but if the logo is not used to make money, then I don't see why BMW would object to free advertising. Then again, there are many things I don't understand.

 

[mika]

I can understand BMW protecting their goodies, but if the logo is not used to make money, then I don't see why BMW would object to free advertising. Then again, there are many things I don't understand.

But the BMW logo's are used to make money. They are used to brand various things that they do not make and return a profit for the company.

The logo of a company by itself can have a value in the market place. For example, Ford in its reorganization was able to leverage the blue oval Ford logo to fund a large part of the process. BMW's logo is regularly listed in the top 5 recognized logo's in the world and therefore has a great value BMW is trying to protect.

I will not argue that any of this makes sense but is how things are.

 

[EMSimon]

It is not necessarily about making money. It is mainly about endorsing things that are said, shown and presented in connection with the official logo of the company.
This could be interpreted as BMW endorsing such.
How would you personally feel, if someone would put your name on any document that is being published without your prior consent. Maybe that's simplifying it a little, but still.

 

[kantuckid]

Probably!

It is their intellectual property. While I personally think licensing (like Harley Davidson) would be a better approach to promoting the marque, that then requires that they vigorously check to see if any individual use is licensed. BMW has selected a different way to protect their property - use it their way or don't use it. Period.

I think it is the wrong approach, but then I don't know anything about German or European Union law as it relates to the protection of intellectual property rights. In this case their lawyers might know a bit more than I/we do.

Here's my chance to plug U of Ky's national championship in BB last night-it is a published fact that they make mucho $$$$ from the rights to use the universities trademarks.Another big win ='s big cash. Me thinks that the BMW folks are more than just a bit prudish/stupid or unique combo of both. This is a huge business in the USA. If they don't want to do it, it's their logo, I suppose.
So,e.g., like a wet T-shirt contest would make for a demeaning use of the roundel and something to guard against? I suppose it's better to let Hollywood depict the cash cows of the world parading around in bimmers in the flicks & showing what a "class act" the roundel represents?

 

[88bmwjeff]

Here's my chance to plug U of Ky's national championship in BB last night-it is a published fact that they make mucho $$$$ from the rights to use the universities trademarks.Another big win ='s big cash. Me thinks that the BMW folks are more than just a bit prudish/stupid or unique combo of both. This is a huge business in the USA. If they don't want to do it, it's their logo, I suppose.
So,e.g., like a wet T-shirt contest would make for a demeaning use of the roundel and something to guard against? I suppose it's better to let Hollywood depict the cash cows of the world parading around in bimmers in the flicks & showing what a "class act" the roundel represents?

I think this ultimate control has to do with negative images and uses of BMW's intellectual property. The positive uses are free advertising, and I bet they like that. However, laws are laws and have most likely gotten more difficult to prevent the negative use of intellectual property. So, in order to block the negative uses, they probably need to block all uses. It's kind of a bummer, but that's the way it is.

 

[lkchris]

Legally speaking, it's a matter of "protect it or lose it."

That is, if BMW doesn't fairly aggresively protect its trademark it will lose it. There aren't any exceptions available.

 

[kbasa]

I chose my avatar from one provided by MOA ... so it's their fault!

When we first fired up the forum, I tried to collect as many club logos as I could, so folks could have an avatar for their club.

 

[henzilla]

branding...