Also posted as a response to the BMW complaints againts Mark and MCO

Friends,


Normally I would not be so extreme in my response, but this issue has had me boiling for months. I figured that when Mark changed the logo that it was under pressure from BMW/NA. Kudos to him for keeping it under wraps for so long but I can imagine the stress is enormous.




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Let's talk about wings logos/emblems/insignia for a minute.

German Military Insignia Website

Please look at this item which I can only link to but not duplicate the image for the site owner has disabled that function. Very protective. Here we have one of hundreds of examples of a wings emblem with an encircled center design...HMMMM....is the classic Mini logo a rip-off of this? It even has laurel leaves which are well known as a classic Mini motif. Are all wings and laurel leaves now property of BMW? How many "feathers" can my logos have...3, 4?

How about this? Can I put this on a T-shirt? Or a website?










Silly!


I'm sure you see my point.

This whole bullying campaign by BMW is ridiculous. Others here have already said much more eloquently than I could what harm BMW is doing to the brand with these STORMTROOPER tactics. Sorry for the unfriendly reference to the 3rd Reich but this mission of PURITY of the brand and talk of "dilution" of the brand gives reminds me of another band of thugs with a bad idea...not so long ago.




German Military Insignia Website

I am personally collecting hundreds of examples of wings logos for my own fight against BMW. If anyone has examples in jpeg or gif please send them along via http://www.miniswag.com

See the light BMW! These homages and sites that tout your brand for FREE and the THOUSANDS of FREE PR people you have on the street in MINI owners are really good for you . They helped you sell a lot of cars. They held future owners hands while they waited for MONTHS. Some made a little money , some changed careers to devote all of their time. Hey dummies over there in NJ...this is good for you. get it?




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Oh my...Saudi Arabia Airlines better check with Munich for this horrible infraction!






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I know what you mean, BMW hasn;t said anything to me yet either

 

>>I know what you mean, BMW hasn;t said anything to me yet either
>>

Yeah and they should be on that! Meanwhile...does OAKLEY know you're using their glasses to promote yourself? Shame....

 

Good luck, but me thinks you'll need to be more creative in your endeavor... :smile:

 

DVLMINI, for a true comparison, find winged logos for commercial enterprises that are directly related to the MINI automobile. These are the only instances of so-called copyright infringement that MINI is pursuing. The Steak n' Shake/SS comparisons are irrelevant.

 

The only way MINI can successfully knock someone outta the game with their claims is if they take a graphing calculator and a slide rule into court...
if your image differs from theirs like - longer wings, more "feathers", No "feathers", bigger circle, smaller cricle, pitch and angles, etc.

So long as it is 40% differant you are in the legal clear.

 

The main issue with MINI's logo is that they are trying to protect it as a trademark relative to automotive products. This is why Steak and Shake's logo and other winged logos don't really apply (or will receive the wrath of BMW's legal team). That said somewhat similar logos are those of Chrysler as well as other automotive brands.

Mark

 

:smile: It's for Raven company.

http://www.subcaps.com/raven1.htm



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Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose

 

Of course, the local favorite:

 

I like that one as well.

 

here is a tiny chrysler logo:

 

My opinion is that the circle with wings design has become a traditional classic design and that MINI's exact logo is certainly their own, but that anyone may create their own circle with wings logo as long as it is a different variation and that it is not used in any sort of fraudulent or harmful way to MINI-USA.

Oh well, I have gotten used to loving my cars and not liking the big auto corporations that build them. Nothing new here. I will just have to learn not to associate my love for my car with the baboons that build and sell them.

 

And that brings up the infamous phantom website minicooperart.com...

 

Why don't some of you graphic artists whip up two thumbs down on either side of a circle so that the thumbs down make wings.

BTW, COOperation, I need to get in touch with you. You designed a logo for the Mini Motoring Club of the Carolinas, and we need a design for a t-shirt we're creating for a special driving school event. I'd appreciate it if you would send me a private mail at john@m2c2.org and just let me know if you would or would not be interested in doing something. Either way, I'd appreciate hearing from you. (I'm the new treasurer for M2C2.ORG)

Thanks,
JS