| |
| |
|
Branding Information |
|
|
|
Trademark Issues in the Mobil Auto Business
There have always been trademark issues and lawsuits in the mobile auto service business. I know this because I own several such businesses. We first noticed a competitor in the Mobile Auto Detailing Business, which had a name "Mobile Auto Services" another "Mobile Oil Change" and still another "Mobile Car Care". Mobil Oil Company was marketing at the time their Gas Station Service Centers as "Mobil Auto-Services" "Mobil Car Care" and "Mobil Auto Care." Mobile Oil even filed one case against a company in Mobile Alabama, which used the name Mobile in its Auto Service Business. These cases occur more often than you think. Many times infringers do it on purpose to get easier name recognition, while at other times it is just coincidence, either way as the World gets closer together you can bet the problem will become more prevalent and more serious. If you don't think this is an issue, check out this case with Kellogg's "Tony the Tiger" and Mobil Oil Company's "Tiger Mart." I guess you have to ask yourself "Whoooose Great" http://www.eura.com/steffen/jura/aktuelles/texte/tony_kellogs_vs_exxon_tiger.htm Whether or not you agree with the verdicts in these trademark infringement cases, the company with the greatest dollars often is victorious. Speaking of Victorious...Victor's Secrets, an adult store, has won a case where Victoria Secret, a 4 Billion Dollar a year marketer of lingerie, was not entitled to seek a cease and desist from the Proprietor of Victor's Secret, whose real name was Bob or something like that. In the case of McDonalds, they sue just about everyone with anything even closely resembling their name and they have so much case law now that they usually win everything, you might beat them but it would cost you $190,000 +, as was the most recent case where it went to a very high court and McDonalds won anyway. We have seen previously in California where Oil Max was taken by a San Diego company and the former Oil Max mobile oil change company changed their name to Oil Maxx, with two X's; unfortunate, but true. In a Trademark case at the Federal Level this would not even be possible, first use has rights, but even a federal trademark must be defended otherwise you lose certain rights to it's use. Now we see again Where Pitts Stop Mobile Oil Change is using a similar paint scheme to the Pitts Stop for this major C-Store Chain where some offices also have Oil Changing. If they are ever going to be in the same market one company will have to yield if both companies cannot agree, problem being that there is a good chance they will be direct competitors, in which case there could easily be a lawsuit. One company he fixed sites are based in Las Vegas and the other is based in Riverside CA that is fairly close and so far neither company is so big that it matters. In franchising such as in Mobil Service Stations, Brand Name means a lot. So to will it in the future as one or more of these companies might make it to a point where there is a confusion. In a down economy there is also a potential for one or more companies to go out of business thus abandoning any use of such a mark therefore making such an example of this type very irrelevant. Before you go into an auto business or any business for that matter, check on the use of the names and pay attention, these issues are easy to fix before you start, but once you grow large the costs in loss of brand name recognition if you have to change the name could be in the millions, think about it. I know you will. "Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
MORE RESOURCES:
Branding - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Setting the Right Price One of the ways people get to know you is by the identity you project. Your company name, the way you present yourself, your business card and brochure, where you work, and other ways you conduct your business create an image that gives your customers information about you. Why Having A Niche Automatically Boosts Your Credibility - Become The Expert by Getting Focused Yes, yes, we've heard it all before.. Play Your Position! - The Only Way to Win in Business Have you ever watched 5-year-olds play soccer? It should be called "Follow the Ball," because that is what happens the entire game. The beginning of the game starts with players in assigned positions. Brand Building 201: Finding The Ideal Way The strongest and longest lasting brands branch off of an existing category. Branching takes patience and time. Branding Junk Removal - He Did It, Can You? What does it mean to be remarkable?Brian Scudamore, CEO and Founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, who in 1996 was operating the million dollar plus company at the age of 26, said it means, "You've got to get out there and be loud and proud.. John Deere and NASCAR; Excellent Use of Brand We should all recognize the marketing efforts of John Deere especially as we have spoken before with regards to their TOYS. They have a complete line of nearly every tractor or agricultural attachment they make available in small, micro size. The Importance of Branding - Can It Really Make a Difference? As consumers, we don't really think about the importance of branding. We just seem to go with the flow of brand names that have become synonymous with our daily living. Corporate Branding and Professional Logo Design Any business with the minimum interest to be successful should concentrate on developing their corporate image and when I say "any business", I mean it, absolutely any business-even if it's a mom-n-pop shop. "Corporate image" might be a big word for such small ventures, however, what I meant by that is how the business wants themselves to be perceived by their customers. All About Branding In this article i will explain how you can make your brand an succes.Corporate branding. Getting Started in the Mail Order Business. How Much Does It Cost? INTRODUCTION To get any business started successfully takes many ingredients. All requirements fall into one of the following four key categories: 1. Logo Files: Versions Of Your Logo That You Should Own Your logo is the most important graphic element in which you will invest for your business. You should own the logo in many file formats. The Keys to a Great Logo Logo, graphic, icon, logotype, typogram, logoform, image?call it what you will, a logo by any other name is the group of letters and/or symbols used in a consistent and unique way to identify a company. It is the most prominent and stable element of marketing, and should be planned carefully to fully reflect your brand. Brand Building 101 Building your brand into a brand leader isn't easy. There are 2 areas that can really help you grow your brand, passion and consistency. Value Proposition Writing - Brand Identity Guru Your Value Proposition, or as I usually call it, your Core Marketing Message, is still misunderstood by most professionals. It's not just a tagline, sound bite or even an "Audio Logo. Top Eight Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Your Business Naming a business is like laying the cornerstone of a building. Once it's in place, the entire foundation and structure is aligned to that original stone. Planning Ahead With Your Designer: Tips For Design Consistency With Your Logo And Brand Elements While we recommend that you contract with the same designer or design team while creating your brand identity materials as possible, we know that this scenario is not always possible.Whenever you work with a designer other than the original who created your logo, stationery and marketing materials, we suggest a few practices that will prove invaluable for ensuring a consistent look and feel across all of your marketing communications. Brand Value Plan - Brand Identity Guru Developing brand value is critical to every organization and when professionally executed, delivers a clear and measurable competitive advantage to your firm. It does so by helping you establish a positive connection and value-relationship with your customer, which, over time, will build brand equity and increase brand value. Brand Identity and the CEO This week I spent a few hours with a highly successful CEO discussing his brand identity questions and concerns. "What do the most successful brand initiatives have in common?" he asked. Brand Your Consulting Brilliance Today's competitive marketplace for consulting services is no longer responsive to the marketing strategies that worked in the past. The services you provide should speak volumes about your consulting business. Brand Your Name! Have you ever thought about branding your name? Does the idea sound too egotistical for you or does it make good business sense? Let's examine personal name branding and how it can help you achieve the recognition you need for your business and put you quickly on the path to success!Promptly upon receiving my layoff notice from my position of nearly eleven years, I decided I needed to venture out on my own. I formed a limited liability company and named the concern after my name.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
