Monster Energy Drink Company Bullies A Forum...for fish keeping
- Thread starter crepesack
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I feel like an awful person now. I was literally drinking a Monster while reading this, and I have a Monster Energy hoodie and T-shirt in my closet that I just got in the mail for saving up tabs. I need to re-think my life.
There is no infringement, however. As another poster above said and I supported them, the two are from differnet industries, hence there is no trademark infringement. Monster is a drink Monster Whatever The Other Was is not even food. Two different industries. Trademarks don't carry over in that case - they only apply within the same sphere of business. If, for example, you name your grocery shop "Apple", the guys with the iPhone have no common ground to you and cannot enforce protect their trademark through law.StBishop said:
This is annoyingly and stupidly similar to all those case of the one company trying to claim that they own the rights to the word "Edge" among all video game titles. Good luck to you man.
I actually like Monster. I think it tastes great.
I don't support their actions in this case, however.
Simple enough.
I don't support their actions in this case, however.
Simple enough.
I'm already on "boycotting" terms with Monster Energy Drinks, because they're gross and sooooo bad for you.
This doesn't endear them more to me at all.
This doesn't endear them more to me at all.
Me too, I find energy drinks disgusting. I don't know how anyone can tolerate that shit.lacktheknack said:
I second this man. Monster tastes like piss. Red Bull at least is an acquired liking for piss that I can handle.manic_depressive13 said:
I'll help you out, OP, even if I think that fishing sucks. Wait, fish-keeping? That's pretty cool. I wish I owned some cool fish.
Edit: Might as well say that I drink NOS and Full Throttle pretty much weekly, and used to drink Amp daily until they changed the formula and now make it taste like cough syrup.
Pointed this out, here AND there, actually. Said point-blank that HE LOST EVERYTHING.Prime_Hunter_H01 said:
Popcorn?
I enjoy Monster. Amp tastes better in general, but I like the sweetness. Rockstar is the REAL awful stuff.
That said, this is a frivolous attempt on the part of their legal team to "protect" their monicker. It wouldn't stand up in court.
That said, this is a frivolous attempt on the part of their legal team to "protect" their monicker. It wouldn't stand up in court.
just because you are in the right doesn't mean that Monster is exactly in the wrong: COPYRIGHT LAW is in the wrong. Because it is stupid. I am far from an expert, but here's the basics.
If some new company comes along and calls themselves, "Monsters" energy drink, puts it in a black can with a big green M on it and starts raking in dough, Monster can sue. The Monsters people can then pull out your forum logo and say, "Hey, you didn't sue THESE guys. Clearly your claim to Monster as a brand is forfeit."
It probably wouldn't work, were Monster to pursue a lawsuit because my example is extraordinarily flagrant, but it would be admissible against them.
The lawyers probably don't actually care if they win. They have no interest in the forum, or any money in damages they might get. They just want to deny ammunition that might be used against them in a future copyright battle. But because they are a multi-million dollar company, even though they just want to put up a fight so they can keep their trademark, any fight whatsoever is probably more then a small group of hobbyists can fight against. Of course, since they are so huge, they also don't really care if you get crushed along the way. This isn't David versus Goliath, this is just a company acting out of self interest and the crushing of people is purely incidental.
Doesn't make your situation any less sucky, and good luck. I'd look up your local SLAPP laws, but honestly, I'm not even sure those apply to this sort of thing. Failing that, there might be some sketchy, uncomfortable legalese filled workaround that still lets you keep your site name, and lets them keep there ability to defend there brand name intact. It may be annoying but hey, the enemy is dumb laws, not Monster proper.
If some new company comes along and calls themselves, "Monsters" energy drink, puts it in a black can with a big green M on it and starts raking in dough, Monster can sue. The Monsters people can then pull out your forum logo and say, "Hey, you didn't sue THESE guys. Clearly your claim to Monster as a brand is forfeit."
It probably wouldn't work, were Monster to pursue a lawsuit because my example is extraordinarily flagrant, but it would be admissible against them.
The lawyers probably don't actually care if they win. They have no interest in the forum, or any money in damages they might get. They just want to deny ammunition that might be used against them in a future copyright battle. But because they are a multi-million dollar company, even though they just want to put up a fight so they can keep their trademark, any fight whatsoever is probably more then a small group of hobbyists can fight against. Of course, since they are so huge, they also don't really care if you get crushed along the way. This isn't David versus Goliath, this is just a company acting out of self interest and the crushing of people is purely incidental.
Doesn't make your situation any less sucky, and good luck. I'd look up your local SLAPP laws, but honestly, I'm not even sure those apply to this sort of thing. Failing that, there might be some sketchy, uncomfortable legalese filled workaround that still lets you keep your site name, and lets them keep there ability to defend there brand name intact. It may be annoying but hey, the enemy is dumb laws, not Monster proper.
