The Jessica Watson Round the World brand
p2pnet view P2P | Advertising:- We can thank the Big 4 record labels, Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony Music, for escalating a simple commercial concept — copyright infringement — to the level of rape and murder.
Their insatiable, uncontrollable greed may have started the ball rolling, with Hollywood and the major software and hardware houses now close behind, it also sensitised all kinds of disparate entities to the possibilities.
“When Jessica Watson sales into Sydney Harbour on May 16 she will have achieved much but a technicality will preclude any claim to a world record”, says the Australian.
How so?
She was trying to set a world record as “the youngest person to sail solo non-stop and unassisted around the World”, she says on her web site.
In the process, she “hopes to inspire young sailors, adventurers and everyone with a dream in their heart”, she says.
But she’s also inspired a fruit-growing company which wants to cash in on her fame and achievement with a copyright claim.
Her boat name, Ella’s Pink Lady, breached Apple & Pear Australia’s “international copyright” and since Ella’s Pink Lady “has a similar heart logo to the Pink Lady apple trademark”, the company “wants to make the teenage sailor a poster girl for apples”, says thewest.com.au, going on >>>
Pink Lady Australia spokesman John Durham told AAP the company wrote to Watson’s management in October last year advising them of its registered trademarks on the Pink Lady name and flowing heart symbol in more than 70 countries world-wide.
“Given that this was a global sailing attempt and given that our registrations were global, we just wanted them to be aware of that,” Mr Durham said.
“We just requested … that no person associated with Jessica Watson’s solo around the world sailing attempt to take any action or make any statements which could cause damage or bring into disrepute APAL’s (Apple & Pear Australia Ltd) Pink Lady flowing heart trademark.
“We never imagined that she would (damage the trademark), the letter was just to make her management aware.”
But not to worry, John Durham.The Jessica ‘brand’ will be available at the right time and the right place. And at the right price.
“Watson’s manager Andrew Fraser told AAP his team would assess commercial and sponsorship endorsements on their merits and was wary of business interests trying to cash in on her homecoming’s publicity”, says thewest.com.au.
“The important issue for us is protecting the Jessica Watson brand and we will ensure that brand is not exploited,” Fraser says in the story, going on:
“We’re focused at the moment on ensuring Jessica gets back to Sydney safely.
“Beyond that we’re happy to discuss any commercial opportunities that may arise. But people need to understand there’s a proper forum and process to commence these discussions.”
(Cheers, Filip)
..
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Australian – Sailor Jessica Watson to fall short of official round-the-world record, May 6, 2010
thewest.com.au – Growers, Jessica in boat copyright flap, May 6, 2010
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May 6th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
GO Jess <3
May 15th, 2010 at 2:40 am
a complete fuss over nothing, whats next, a 5 year old yachts person?