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Small Artist Group Gets Nastygram from Intel

Posted by timothy on from the bully-for-them-no-a-real-bully dept.

SuperBanana writes "According to a story in the Boston Globe, Intel feels a MA artist co-op gallery's name is "too similar to Intel's advertising slogan." The gallery name: "The Art Inside Gallery". Intel has said it will pay for the costs of the name change, and the artists are debating the hassle and expense of getting a lawyer, but 16 artists don't stand much of a chance against one of the world's largest legal departments. This is not the first time Intel has threatened legal action over trademarks. Maybe the EFF's Chilling Effects Clearinghouse can help. Is anyone else getting tired of the bully called 'corporate America'?"

4 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. Ok, it's bullying, but.... by OwnerOfWhinyCat · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...they had the option of being complete jerks, and didn't.

    Of course they excuse they give is a pile of crap.

    ...trademark law requires a company to take proactive steps to protect a landmark, or else you lose the value of that trademark

    While this is true, the only way it could damage them is if this art co-op became so pervasive that AMD could say "AMD Inside" and claim that since the artists use it non-infringingly that they somehow have the right. This would be weak.

    If Intel really wanted to play nice with these people, and actually believed they were at risk, they could licenses the dubious "thing Inside" trademark to them for a dollar a year for artistic use only. This would satisfactorily establish the precedent of ownership, and that of licensing. When charging AMD for the use of it they could simply claim that the rates are a little steeper for direct competitors.

    I'm not a lawyer but it seems to me that they itch to be bullies and their P.R. department has encouraged them to take what is probably a cheaper solution.

    The one hopeful note I hear in this is that our whining works. If they didn't know there'd be a serious blacklash for just crushing these people under mounds of paperwork, the P.R. department's input probably wouldn't have been so visible.

  2. Re:additional comments by Thing+1 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    There were a few cases I didn't list, like the case against a company making "Yoda Inside" stickers. That's a clear spoof, but a better case than a bunch of artists with a little art gallery.

    I'm typing this from a computer with an Antec case ($179, 400W power supply, 3 fans in addition to PS fan, drive bay fans, etc.), which has a large "Antec Outside" sticker/button on the front.

    Why isn't Intel going after Antec?

    --
    I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
  3. Is J.C. Penney next? by pycnanthemum · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hmmm, tiny little artists' cooperative gets squashed for their "Art Inside" gallery, but what about J.C. Penney's "It's All Inside" slogan?

  4. Let's see if I understand by angle_slam · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Open source database manufacturer gets its name stolen. That is bad.

    Intel gets its slogan stolen. Intel defends its name. Defending is bad.