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'Memes Have Rights Too': Grumpy Cat Wins $710,000 In Copyright Lawsuit (thewrap.com)
Zorro shares a report from TheWrap: The Grumpy Cat Limited company was awarded $710,001 in damages on Monday when a California jury decided that the beverage company Grenade was guilty of infringing on its copyright and trademark. Grumpy Cat Limited, formed by Tabatha Bundesen to monetize the viral fame of her sour-faced cat (real name, Tardar Sauce), sued Grenade in 2015, claiming the company used the cat's image on several of its products, despite only having the rights to sell a line of iced coffees called "Grumpy Cat Grumppuccino." The Grumpy Cat image appeared on Grenade's roasted coffee line and tee-shirts, neither of which were part of the original deal. Grenade filed its own countersuit, claiming Grumpy Cat didn't hold up its end of the bargain and failed to promote the brand as outlined under the terms of the deal. However, the jury wasn't moved by its argument and ultimately decided in favor of the meme. "It's important precedent when you have something like a meme online," David Jonelis of Lavely & Singer, Grumpy Cat's lawyer, told TheWrap. "It's the first verdict ever rendered in favor of a viral meme. Memes have rights too."
I think the point he is trying to make is that even if something becomes a meme it retains its copyright and you can't just use it in your products without licensing.
It's different to say a trademark where you have to defend it, for example.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
fell for it hook line and sinker.?
Hi. I'm a lawyer from Abshagen and Dillard, and we represent Fishing Cliches, Inc. You have made use of their patented expression without the express written consent of FCI or MLB. You must pay $100 or be guilty of infring-meme-nt.
The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
They were, in fact making a tasteless joke. The cat was named "tardar sauce" and the owner originally called her "Tard" for short, but once the cat became famous, a number of people objected to the use of the word Tard, which is short for "retard", and complained; the owner refers to the cat by her name in full now, supposedly.