Slashdot Mirror
How I Got Fired From the Job I Invented
New submitter frost_knight writes "Travel blogger Turner Barr discovered that his entire brand, image, and web personality has been hijacked by a multi-billion dollar company for use in a marketing campaign. 'The video for their marketing campaign was particularly creepy for me, as even my age and personality didn’t escape the level of detail spent on creating this doppelganger (they used a paid actor of course). ... I’m no longer even the first thing that comes up when you Google my brand name. I’ve turned down work opportunities and put on hold any future travel job plans to deal with lawyers, long distance phone calls, corporate executives and other such nonsense — all along feeling misled and patronized. This situation has been extremely confusing for not only myself, but also for participants in company’s marketing campaign who message me thinking that I am am part of the company.'"
Who are intellecutal property laws protecting again. Once again, they always protect those with enough lawyers to make them work.
I think the issue goes beyond them just using the same name. From the summary:
"'The video for their marketing campaign was particularly creepy for me, as even my age and personality didn’t escape the level of detail spent on creating this doppelganger (they used a paid actor of course)."
It sounds like they intentionally made it resemble him as closely as possible. It's sort of like those dollar store markers that are "Sharple" brand in a script that makes it look almost identical to "Sharpie", mostly just to confuse people into getting your knockoff.
Maybe they need to fill a job for "weekend social media monitor". LOL
In other words, "we told him we'd buy out all the rights in exchange for a snickers bar and a firm handshake, but much to our surprise he turned our generous offer down, so it's his fault"?
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
Trademark exists to prevent consumer confusion. It seems like trademarking something already in use by someone else is just a big ol' recipe for confusing ready to be put in the oven.
Why is anyone surprised? Adecco's entire business model is profiting off the labor of others.
Most of all,, we are sorry that we got caught stealing someone else's idea and then trademarking it.
I feel sorry for people that don't drink, because when they get up in the morning, that's as good as they're gonna feel
How was he fired exactly? I totally get that he got screwed and all, but I don't see how this led to a firing in any stretch of the imagination.
You didn't cover your flank. You're brilliant and mobile, your adversaries aren't. Pop a Molly and think of something else - and next time, get a lawyer first. It's not like millions of others haven't been hosed by megacorps before. You should have expected this. Many of us have travelled this road.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
What good will it do to him if he would win years after bankrupcy? Unaffordable justice is not justice at all.
Coke didn't invent soda, Slashdot didn't invent news aggregation and discussion.
What belongs to each of these companies is the NAMES they do business under
In order to know whether you're buying soda made by Coca-Cola or some other company, the law protects the Coke mark.
His mark is Around the World in 80 Jobs. It seems that employees of Arecco contacted Barr, thinking that he was part of the promotion. If their use of the Around the World in 80 Jobs mark confused their own employees, it could certainly confuse the public, making them think Barr was involved in the promotion.
Fair is where the bus was headed when you went under it.
Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
Adecco has publicly admitted it was "a mistake" and they want to "make it right".
So at this point there's no question they were in the wrong. It's just a matter of figuring out what to do about it.
* had Adecco offered a settlement WITHOUT admitting they were wrong, that offer couldn't be used against them in court .
Here, they admitted it was a mistake to use that name, and that they need to make it right.
Adecco has publicly admitted it was "a mistake" and they want to "make it right".
So why is "Around the World in 80 Jobs" still plastered all over the Adecco website? Step one of "make it right" is to cease infringing.
... unless the "make it right" was a public outcry publicity stunt by Barr and Adecco.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
Unfortunately, we moved forward with a name and contest that clearly upset Turner and his community.
You didn't "move forward", you mealy-mouthed bastards. You stole his IP.
we immediately engaged with him to try to make things right.
You incredibly ignorant twats. Making it right would be immediately ceasing to use his IP.
If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
These days you only have the rights that you can afford to defend.