VW logo, copyright???? Options

[dmenche914]

I just noticed, the WCC logo has the VW Porsche emblem in it. I know from a while back VW was going bonkers on use of its trademark VW logo, suing or threatening lawsuits unless users (abusers???) paid up. It hit the VW aftermarket industry hard, real horror stories. Companies that even used photos of real VW cars had to delete the logo's from the photos, clubs also were hit, as were websites.

Maybe they have laid off, maybe thay just haven't noticed.

I heard also that Porsche was going after trademark infringement also, but not to the degree that VW has, and we got both logos in the WCC logo!

Anyone hear of this being a problem?

[nickg]

QUOTE (Jake Raby @ Apr 8 2005, 06:35 AM)

Both companies are filled with cock sucker lawyers making a cut to sue people over the logos.. I have gotten hate mail from both VW and Porsche.... It cost Porsche the sale of a Cayenne! What pisses me off is that WE ARE THE ONES PROMOTING THEIR new cars more than they are! When someone sees an old VW or Porsche they start recognizing more of the new ones and its all down hill for them from then on! I used to Have a Porsche flag outside my shop till they sent me the hate mail..... Sending them letters and etc will do absolutely NO GOOD at all.

so to play devil's advocate here ...Jake how would you like somepone advertising as air cooled technology? is it different? not really considering the amount of fraud perpetrated against these companies. I will explain, you can go out and buy oem parts for vw's at most any import store right? look at the part closely, it has the vw emble and the part # molded in it, know why? it is the supplier that makes them for vw. this is a big issue in the parts world and it will bring lawyers calling. the problem starts there and then goes on to people advertising with the crests and the emblems...if you think vw is bad, porsche put a bunch of people out of buisness years ago, bmw and mercedes are on a crusade now and Ford is looking into this closly. the reason is pretty simple, how woulkd you feel as a franchised dealer seeing your parts(and yes the same exact parts) being sold retail for less than 1/2 of dealer cost? you'd be pissed...and they are too. the thought was initially that this rampant use of the various emblems was innocent, but then they started to get feedback about how it dilutes brand image....confuses customers about who is and isn't a dealer or if it is a genuine part or not. Car companies make a very high percentage from parts sales(arguably more than new cars sales). I know that the use of the word vw is ok, but in the emblematic version, you will get a letter from auburn hills eventually. same with mercedes, porsche and bmw. They are also concerned about lawsuits from idiots who see the logo and assume that the company has a stake in the advertiser of that logo, that was done a few years ago at waterfest whern an idiot sued vw because they got hurt and the vw logo was used in various promotions literature. I agree it kinda sucks they have to be that way though