:smile: :smile:
Petition is 8 hours old
350 signatures :smile:
_________________
PM Dave

 

>>Here's what I sent to BMW NA and MINI USA:
>>
>>[list]BMW NA and MINI USA,
>> I feel you are err using capitalist trademarking schemes to uproot the very support you need for sales and maintaining a positive image. Insisting that MINI Cooper Online.com cease and desist operation is very poor judgment, as its' existence can only help the image of the MINI brand.
_________________
Not to be picky here, but a correction is in order, if only to strengthen MCO's position:

MCO was not asked to cease operation but to cease from using the name Minicooperonline. BMW would be shooting itself in the foot if MCO ceased to exist, or even to exist under another domain name without any reference to the word "Mini."

 

>>I see that http://www.M1N1C00PERONLINE.COM is not yet registered. Mark change to ones and zeros and flip BMW the bird :smile:

 

--->zgokart, you restated my point in a roundabout kind of way. Also, I could have elaborated on my statement "...cease and desist operation [under the name minicooperonline.com]..." In any case, thanks for the clarification.

 

I'm very sorry this is off the topic but. . .

I've been reading this thread all day.
I stepped away and came back just now to find that
I can't hardly read the messages people have written.
Did I do something on my computer to make this
message board so wide I can't read it on my computer screen ?

I will hit a return after each group of words,
to keep the words here to the left,
just in case it's not me and you have this same problem.

 

Signature #91 checking in.

Folks,

Don't just sign the petition...

Don't just e-mail BMW/NA...

Don't just e-mail MINI/USA

Don't just call 1-866-ASK-MINI...

Don't just let your dealer know you're unhappy...

don't just contact friends/figures in the media...

Do it All!



Your voice can & will make a difference.

Jim Gallagher

 

>>I'm very sorry this is off the topic but. . .
>>
>>I've been reading this thread all day.
>>I stepped away and came back just now to find that
>>I can't hardly read the messages people have written.
>>Did I do something on my computer to make this
>>message board so wide I can't read it on my computer screen ?
>>
>>I will hit a return after each group of words,
>>to keep the words here to the left,
>>just in case it's not me and you have this same problem.

<----- raises hand. That's my bad, pebbles. I added the de-badging party to my signature, but had no idea that it would put the two side by side. Going to fix it now. Sorry.............

 

>>Well if mini or mini cooper cannot be in the domain, simply put it in the meta tags. This is something that they cannot stop as it is a description of the content of the site. Worse case scenario put "formerly known as minicooperonline.com" in the description field, this will enable search engines to still find it. They cannot legislate your content,
______________
Interesting point. Which leads me to pose this comment: why not retain the initials MCO? Many recognizable corporations have just a few letters to designate their name. Example: AT&T (everybody knows which company that is), AMD, CNN, GE, and so on. Granted, these are all established companies whose initials have become business household names, but MCO has by now built up a very large following too. Maybe the strategy should be to not explain what MCO stands for, but to allow online viewers to form their own translation: "it's about the Motor Car," or, to the more savvy-minded "it's about the Mini Cooper car." And yes, the metatag idea sounds viable. Check these with your attorney.

If all else fails and MCO cannot come to some kind of reasonable accommodation with BMW, then it's time to play hardball, and I for one, am willing to make a donation toward the MCO Defense Fund. There is too much precedence in the use of the Mini name; too many other businesses can be draggeed into this imbroglio ... something that tells me we can't lose.

 

Just signed #374

called MINI USA today

e- mailed MINI USA today

Talked to people about this

Great and Free advertisment for BMW/MINI USA. Hope they like it :evil:

 

>>243 Signatures and growing.
>>
>>Let's show Jack that we are a not a force to be reckoned with.

Um, I think you mean we ARE a force to be reckoned with.

OTOH, we are a force NOT to be f****d with!

Jim


_________________
2003 LY and B MC R81 wheels Looking for stripes and a spoiler because ... they make me go faster, Mom!

 

>><----- raises hand. That's my bad, pebbles. I added the de-badging party to my signature, but had no idea that it would put the two side by side. Going to fix it now. Sorry.............

No problem - I think I did see your "wide" signature but didn't realize it would set the size of the screen! and now like magic, it's fixed!

You could copy and past the de-badge party announcement into your message space, just below your post and it would fall above your current signature.

and if I had my MINI, I'd be getting out the dental floss!


_________________
"Madeline" - MCS CR/W, Stripes, White 16" X-Lites, Xenons, Fogs, DSC, PDC, Auto AC, MFSW, Full Aero Kit and Union Jack !

 

I sent a message about all this to Philip Powell, editor of About.com's auto-related web sites. Read what he posted in the link below.

Also, you might be interested in About.com's web sites and newsletters. They have lots of good information for auto enthusiasts like us. And they are obviously friends to Mini lovers.


http://vintagecars.about.com/b/a/2003_08_05.htm

 

Mark, have you gotten in touch with the owners of such sites as http://www.bmwnation.com/ who use a disclaimer:
"The BMWNation website is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, BMW NA or BMW AG.
The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks of BMW AG, Munich, Germany.
To visit the official BMW website, please click here." ?


Something tells me that they've dealt with this, or are now.

ps, sorry if something like this was addressed, but I'm not reading through all these posts!!!!
_________________
If God didn't want us to eat critters, how come he made 'em out of meat?

 

I will be joining the debadging party if it needs to happen. I will also no longer tell interested strangers what kind of car I am driving for fear that mentioning the word MINI might incite litigation against me for promoting the MINI brand name without full approval and authorization by BMW and MINI-USA.

I think that we should send our MINI badges to the prez of MINI-USA and let him know that we do not want to carry the MINI logo on our cars if they do not want us to have a top notch enthusiast community like we have buiilt here.

Please BMW/MINI do the right thing here! Please! (I'm asking nicely, please don't encourage me to act differently)

 

>>>>243 Signatures and growing.
>>>>
>>>>Let's show Jack that we are a not a force to be reckoned with.
>>
>>Um, I think you me we ARE a force to be reckoned with.
>>
>>OTOH, we are a force NOT to be f****d with!
>>
>>Jim
>>

I'm a mess tonight. Wide siggies, incorrect negatives. Time for bed. But I'm not turning off the computer until we hit 400 signatures. We're up to 383 and I'm tired.

If you haven't signed the petition yet, DO IT NOW. And if you haven't heard about the DE-BADGING party, it's because we're still planning it over on the RENEGADE thread in O.T.

 

I think we can win this fight in the court of popular opinion but probably not in real court. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and this will all go away. If not, let's inflict as much damage as possible to MINIUSA and BMW while going down.

_________________


IB/W/W/W MCS, All packages, Space Cloth, Aero Kit, Driving Lights, Prod date 9/14/02. Motoring since 11/7/2002

 

A reminder to all

In addition to Mark and MCO, they have ALSO gone after Matt and CooperFlags at the same time.

I won't be surprised if they next try to hit all the other MINI-whatever aftermarket people next.

We live in troubling times

 

Mark, some of our members don't come here daily. Is there a way you could send out a brief mass email to let the rest of our community know what's going on? 400 signatures is not bad for one day, but if we only have a week, we'll need to notify ALL of our members ASAP.

390 signatures. 10 more and I'm going to bed.

edit>>> It's 12:21 EST and we're up to 397. I know there are at least 3 of you out there that haven't signed yet. Please take a minute (really, it's THAT fast) and sign it. I'm committed to seeing 400 before I hit the hay.

edit>>>> WOOHOO!!!!! It's 12:30 we've got 402 signatures and I'm outta here. Nighty night MCO.

_______________

 

Signed!

Re: Debadging - Remember the Exxon Valdez? They had a little branding problem.
It seems that Exxon credit card holders were very unhappy about the way Exxon was handling the whole thing and were sending their cards back to Exxon in baggies of oil or stuffed into dead animals. The loss of interest revenue was in the millions.

I'm not suggesting that kind of radical action, but if you do debadge, send them to MINI USA one at a time. Perhaps a steady stream of castoffs will make an impression.

Nah! That would mean that someone there understands viral marketing and just how badly it can misfire from the shenanigans they're pulling. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "Say I was an idiot and say I was a BMW USA Executive. But I repeat myself!"

Besides, then we would have to replace them with something that would make a statement - anyone know where a supply of Yugo badges can be found? Or have they all corroded into dust. I know, I know - bad idea, but it's late. I have an excuse, they don't.

These guys are irritatin' me. Too bad a full page ad in the Sunday NY Times costs so much. THAT would get some attention. Then they would have to explain why they are such heartless buffoons....

Another lame adoption of a riddle that's been around a while -
What's the difference between a porcupine and MINI USA Headquarters?

Nite all....

 

Signature #402 checking in, I'm here for you MCO!

 

>>Too bad a full page ad in the Sunday NY Times costs so much. THAT would get some attention. Then they would have to explain why they are such heartless buffoons....

Hmmm, how much does a full page ad cost??? It might not be much if we divide it by 9000.

I know, I know.....I said I was going to bed. I just can't help it. Anger is much stronger than caffeine.

Goodnight. For real.

 

Full page ads in the NYT are $50,000

 

>>MINIclo, why don't you take a car cover and cover Wanda for the interview. That will get a reaction. A picture is worth a thousand words.


THAT IS A BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

>>>>MINIclo, why don't you take a car cover and cover Wanda for the interview. That will get a reaction. A picture is worth a thousand words.
>>
>>
>>THAT IS A BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <<

 

I still believe, a NATIONAL Day of MINIUSA/BMWNA Protest is in order...
Coast to Coast... CNN CNBC CSPAN FOX HEADLINE NEWS GOOD MORNING AMERICA TODAY JAY LENO AND ON AND ON AND ON... can't hurt.


Just so long as we are all orderly, friendly and organized.

Public sidewalks outside of Dealerships are PUBLIC and not illegal to be on... preventing potential buyers from buying. Scaring away the customer... Think they would notice us then?