Posted on 08/16/2010 10:55:22 PM PDT by JoeProBono
FON DU LAC, Wis.- A Wisconsin priest's Volkswagen Beetle bearing a "God Squad" logo is the subject of a cease-and-desist order from Best Buy's corporate offices.
Best Buy officials said the logo on the vehicle owned by the Rev. Luke Strand of the Holy Family Community parish in Fond du Lac is too similar to the "Geek Squad" logos on the Beetles used by the company's computer technicians, the Fond du Lac Reporter said Monday.
"Father Luke Strand has been contacted by Best Buy as it would relate to his 'God Squad' car. He is working with Best Buy to resolve the issue. More information will follow as it becomes available," Matthew Rodenkirch, communications assistant at Holy Family Catholic Community, said in a news release.
Paula Baldwin, senior manager for public relations for Minnesota-based Best Buy, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the cease-and-desist order was a "really difficult thing for us to do."
"But at the end of the day, it's bad precedent to let some groups violate our trademark while pursuing others," Baldwin said. "We're confident that together we'll come up with a good solution for everyone."
I can see their point.
Bring it on.
Yep.
Sorry but Rev. Luke Strand is going to get lesson #1 on corporate logo infringment.
Long ago, the courts have ruled that a company failing to enforce a corporate logo looses its rights to it.
He’s going to be really lucky if BB just asks him to stop.
Hope he’s not dumb enough to press this through the courts or he’s going to have all hell drop on his head.
Agreed, it is pretty close. It would be easy for someone to mistake the person in the “God Squad” T-shirt with a person in the “Geek Squad” T.
This isn’t so much parody as infringement IMHO.
Well the god squad can’t be any worse at fixin broke puters than the geeks......
Maybe they’d do better w/some divine intervention.
Yeah, I think Best Buy is probably legally correct on this one. Clever idea by the good Father, but it looks like infringement from here (here being my non-legal mind).
Never start a fight with someone who can conjure up thunder and lightning by the milenium...
Just saying.
Best Buy sucks. Best Buy has a problem with “God Squad” but not a problem with advertising with that fake holiday, kwanzaa.
Would Pest Pie have a problem with “Allah Squad”?
Somehow, I doubt that it would.
Worst store I know of, unless you appreciate overpriced merchandise, ignorant salesdrones, and a constant oppressive throb of hip-hop non-music.
It’s a parody... Best Buy will lose if the church has competent lawyers.
Would Pest Pie have a problem with “Allah Squad”?
Post of the day, and a point worth pursuing by the priest.
Claim it is a parody, and 1st amendment provides for that.
What’s the basis of the parody? God’s the Ultimate Computer Geek? ...magritte
This makes BBY look bad. It is also free advertising for them that they are cutting off in addition to making them appear anti-Christian.
I don’t see an upside for BBY unless they want to gain favor with the “in” crowd.
“Well the god squad can’t be any worse at fixin broke puters than the geeks”
God, that is so true!
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