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Surviving with Miel Gibson

Surviving with Miel Gibson

In February, Chilean teacher Yohana Agurto lost her job. Being a single mother of four, her situation got even worse when Chile went into lockdown due to the Corona outbreak. But all of a sudden she had a brilliant idea when she saw a picture of Mel Gibson somewhere online. She still had a lot of organic honey in her basement. A new brand was born: Miel Gibson ("miel" being Spanish for honey). A picture of the actor taken from the movie Braveheart was used on the label. Sales were not booming, but it paid the bills and the kids could eat, so she told the New York Times.

 

However, Mel Gibson’s lawyers also got the word. So a letter followed ordering a cease & desist of the unlawful use of the name and image. For a moment Yohana thought about giving up, but then how would she feed her children? The alternative was to seek publicity online in the hopes of settling the case. And with success, she was allowed to continue using the name, only Mel Gibson’s face could no longer be used.

Often companies tend to respond to any infringement with a standard Cease & Desist or go in with full body armor. Our word of advice, first check exactly who you are dealing with. Beware that public opinion can swing against you, even if you are legally right. A more humane approach often works much better, having the same effect and not damaging the brand holder’s public image.

About Abcor

Abcor specializes in applying for trademark and design rights. We do this worldwide for both SMEs and international companies, but often everything starts with an initial Benelux application. Our aim is to relieve the client of all the worries, which is why we take care of all the steps, from initial advice on what to apply for and how, right through to registration.

In addition to applying for trademarks, we also manage portfolios for our clients. We ensure that trademarks are renewed on time, that the right organizations are paid (given the many fraudulent companies), and we support our clients on issues.

In addition, we are sparring partners for our customers on new products and how to shape and claim new ideas.

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Newsletter: Abcor ABC Magazine

Een korte introductie tekst over de nieuwsbrief waarin je uitlegt wat het is. Hoe je direct de nieuwste editie kunt lezen en hoe je je kunt abonneren. And click here for all the numbers.

Among others in this issue:
• EUIPO vs Mora TV: weigering geluidsmerk
• Jägermeister vs Alte Heiler: stop Russische copycat
• Stichting Nederlandse Top 40: gericht op Benelux?
• Tijdschrift HART vs Hermitage: soortgelijkheid
• Monique Granneman: nieuwe partner Abcor

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