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turbolou

Lou's Automotive 949-378-1590
Joined
Jun 23, 2001
Messages
5,137
-Original Message-----
From: Gary Skelton [mailto:GSkelton@EquityManagementInc.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2010 6:09 AM
To: lou@turbolou.com
Subject: Your Company's Apparent Unauthorized Use of General Motors Trademarks
Importance: High

To Whom It May Concern:
Equity Management Inc. (“EMI”) represents General Motors Corporation in its Trademark Licensing Program, including its GM Service Parts Operations (“GM”). –OR-- Equity Management Inc. (“EMI”) is the exclusive licensing representative for General Motors Corporation, including its GM Service Parts Operations (“GM”). (Attached for your reference is a letter from the pertinent General Motors licensing manager evidencing EMI’s licensing representation authority.) I have been advised that your company is using certain GM Trademarks in connection with your business.
Specifically, I am advised that your company is using General Trademarks in your website. The Trademarks that are being use is the Grand National, Power Six Logo, Corvette Racing Logo, and the GM logo. As I believe you are well aware, General Motors and the subject GM Division owns hundreds of Trademarks such as the word marks, design marks (a.k.a. logos or emblems), trade names, and uniquely distinctive vehicle body designs associated with its business and products.
The Mark in question is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation and protected from unauthorized use under Canadian and United States law, among other territorial jurisdictions. Only General Motors and authorized Licensees may use the Mark in accordance with applicable guidelines and limitations. According to records presently available to me, your company is not authorized under the applicable GM Licensing Program to use the Mark in connection with your business or the Product. Moreover, based on the particular use of the Mark with the Product in question, we have no information or reason to believe that your company is purchasing the Product from an authorized Licensee. (If our understanding is incorrect and the products are duly authorized/licensed, please advise me in writing as described below.) Your company’s display and use of the Mark, therefore, creates the false impression that your business and the Product are endorsed or sponsored by, or somehow affiliated with, General Motors Corporation and/or the subject vehicle marketing division.
This letter is to advise that should your company’s use of the Mark be unauthorized (which appears to be the case based on information currently available to me), such use will constitute trademark infringement and be deceptive toward the public.
Under such circumstances, your company must immediately cease using the Marks and advertising/promotional materials, and provide a written certificate of destruction evidencing such as signed by you or another duly authorized officer of your company. Moreover, your company is required to refrain from making any other representations that imply your company is endorsed or authorized by General Motors or the applicable vehicle marketing division to conduct business.
Please advise me in writing by July 14, 2010 that your company will discontinue using the Marks and comply fully with all the above requests. Your company’s failure or refusal to fully and completely comply with all the requests and requirements in this letter may subject your company to further action.
Due to the seriousness of this matter, your company’s prompt attention and action is necessary. I look forward to receiving your company’s written response to this letter (as standard practice, telephone calls cannot be received) within the above-noted date. You can fax me back your responds or e-mail me at
Sincerely,
<<Rep Letter 8-1-09.pdf>>
Gary S. Skelton
Client Sales Manager, GMSPO Licensing Program
__________________
08 Z06
04 Lightning
08 Turbo Porsche
87 GNX 176 # gone but not forgotten.

"old age and treachery will always overcome youth and ambition
 
Well that sucks. It seems they are clamping down. I would imagine Ford or any of the others would most likely do the same though.
I can understand it if someone is manufacturing parts and trying to pass them off as OEM. I have thought of adding some different GN related items to my jewelry line, but I have heard the license is expensive. For the amount I would sell, it wouldn't be worthwhile. You would think they would encourage brand loyalty within their fan base instead of going around pissing them off.
I guess when you're a big corporation propped up by the Government you can do that. To some extent I can see their point, but I think they are a little heavy handed in the way they handle us little guys.
 
Do a quick Google search for Ford trademark. Pages of action Ford has taken against everyone from websites to accessory makers many from 2008. Corporate gread....
 
Do a quick Google search for Ford trademark. Pages of action Ford has taken against everyone from websites to accessory makers many from 2008. Corporate gread....

Didn't they issue a cease and desist to the Mustang Club of America?
 
Didn't they issue a cease and desist to the Mustang Club of America?

Yes I think they were selling shirts and stuff with the copyrighted logos.
 
I got the same email from the same guy weeks ago. Asked him why he was picking on me and he said they are making the rounds of ALL people with GM logos on their sites and products. DC Tech got hit today with the same email. I understand the issue with the licensing BS but we never tried to sell product as anything but a custom engraved item, not an actual GM part but it doesn't matter to them.

Got a bad feeling someone DID push the issue of non licensed stuff to GM but doesn't really matter at this point. Luckily we don't have a warehouse of products to destroy as requested since our stuff was all made to order.

From what I can see Lou doesn't even advertise products for sale on his site, just has the logos on the home page. Soooo, basically ANYBODY using a Power 6 logo on anything is subject to getting the same friendly email. Wonder if they are going after website domain names as well???? This board's name as well as the "other" board have BUICK in them as well as my own site. Funny how they are picking on logos for a car that hasn't been made in 23 years. Maybe they are bringing the GN back.:rolleyes: Even funnier is they told me to take Olds logos off the site as well and the company doesn't even exist anymore!

I am sure they are having a field day with the many ebay sellers out there who sell t-shirts, power 6 air fresheners, etc........

For the ever shrinking market that is the Turbo Regal crowd, not worth the hassle of licensing in my opinion. They wanted an itemized four year report on every little trinket that we have sold broken down by every item. No way am I going thru all those records to figure that out and it isn't really a huge dollar amount of stuff but not wasting my time to do it. As always we can custom engrave stuff anyway. Also, this was a good push to start a new business venture with our pet memorial and other engraved items for dogs/cats/etc.

All this from a company that comes up with this little G(e)M ................ http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/autos/chevrolet-not-chevy/19511250/
 
Everyone should get together and give them the BIRD! Don't they have other things they need to be taking care of like.. Oil Spills, Sanctioning Illegals :rolleyes: etc.
 
This is a corporate crackdown, nothing to do with "the government". Like it or not, all car manufacturers have copyrights they can enforce, even if it's just a very small vendor. It's their choice to go or not go after people not officially licensed. The same goes for NFL, MLB, NBA, FIFA, NASCAR, Coca Cola, etc, etc. If they feel they are losing money to non-licensed vendors then they will go after them full bore.
 
Carroll Shelby went after the Shelby/Cobra club, demanded all their records.
The club had better histories of the cars than Shelby did and I think the court made the club comply.
Shelby is a A--hole.

It is corporate infringement, but they don't make the product anymore and by aftermarket reproducing them promotes the brand with no corporate cost. But there is the fine line where president is set.
 
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I wonder they will allow one of those sheep stickers on my web site ? Or will some animal rights group come after me. Damn they are taking all the fun out of life.
 
This is not just the Car Industry. Sgt Grit who sells tons of USMC shirts and products got hit and is not allowed to sell anything with "USMC", "MARINES" or the Eagle, Globe and Anchor on it. :rolleyes: And its not like the Marines are making tons on selling stuff (cause they really dont) but they want to make sure that someone else cant make an "offensive" shirt and make it look like the Marines endorsed it. I see where they are coming from.

Imagine if I opened up a shop and called it "Turbo Lou's Performance Shop". It would be perfectly legal since Lou never licensed his name (to my knowledge) but that wouldnt be fair to Lou. Now imagine if he actually did License his name just like GM, Buick and the Marines did? See their point?

Now Im just waiting for GM to go after Jiffy Lube for using their Turbo Six logo! That **** would be funny!!!!
 
Imagine if I opened up a shop and called it "Turbo Lou's Performance Shop". It would be perfectly legal since Lou never licensed his name (to my knowledge) but that wouldnt be fair to Lou. Now imagine if he actually did License his name just like GM, Buick and the Marines did? See their point?

That is the point of copyrighted logos. Naturally it feels like big corporations are "picking on the little guy" but in essense using those symbols with out permission on items you sell is stealing.
 
The legalistic side of it it certainly understandable, but I still think there needs to be some intent to cut into their business shown before they can go off and harrass some guy or business.

There is a big difference between a guy who is trying to take their trademark and profit from it and a guy who is simply using their logo to say "Hey...I work on these and can fix 'em for ya since the dealership can't."

They go after the little guy so they can actually feel like they accomplished something each day since the little guy is far less likely to fight them and also is easier to deal with. They still get to add a tally to the "win" column and act like they actually did something to save GM from the evil hordes...:rolleyes:
 
Just curious... Aren't we all currently shareholders of this company? We pay taxes every year and last I recall Uncle Sam used our money to save GM...

Why not start some sort of campaign (letter writing or otherwise) to make ourselves heard? Realistically, any complaints would probably fall on deaf ears but, stranger things have happened... I don't see the harm in appealing to GM as a large group of concerned shareholders/product enthusiasts and expressing our concerns and maybe trying to work out a reasonable solution...

The worst they can say is no and from what I see happening lately that's what they're already doing... We've got nothing to loose but maybe a little time. Who knows, maybe we find a sympathetic ear and get some help from GM?!?!:p
 
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