Fords tactects may distance future buyers - Ford Forums

2k05gt · 01-14-2008, 20:22

Ford Slaps Brand Enthusiasts, Returns Love With Legal Punch

While brands certainly don't want people using their products, logos and other related imagery to create products of their, own, the hammer that Ford legal dropped on the Black Mustang Club seems a bit heavy handed. Recently the club created a calendar which contained images of club members' cars photographed by the members themselves. Ford didn't take kindly to this and asked CafePress, the service the group had chosen to print the calendars, to kill the project claiming all the images in the calendar are the property of Ford...including the Black Mustang Club logo.
It's understandable that a brand would and should do everything it can to protect itself from any kind of potential negative effect but to attack a group of people who, clearly, love the product in question simply for showing their love of that product is, well, idiotic and more harmful to the brand had they done nothing at all.

BMC Owner Lisa commented to group members, "I'm sorry, but at this point we will not be producing the 2008 BMC Calendar, featuring our 2007 Members of the Month, solely due to Ford Motor Company's claim that they own all rights to the photos you take of your car. I hope to resolve this soon, and be able to provide the calendar and other BMC merchandise that you guys want and deserve!"

We hope this can be resolved as well. It's one thing to protect your brand from being harmfully tarnished. It's another to shoot down the very people who love your product the most.Wake up and smell the CGM, Ford.

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Ford's been hammering on clubs, magazines and even Mustang specific parts vendors for two years. Where the heck will the classic Mustang market go if they squash the venders and enthusiast magazines...??? And the classic Mustang market is a big part of the new Mustang.

And now the actual owners, I am sorry but my next car will be a GM (Camaro) FORD has gone too far.... Pictures of my car is Ford Brand Property!! GM would never do this to their loyal customers and Fans. If this is true, I am no longer a Ford owner.

2k05gt · 01-15-2008, 15:36

BMC Calendars: Approved by Ford & For Sale! - BMC Forums - Black Mustang Club

Also, just as you emailed Ford, posted on your local forums and spread the word about this issue when it first arose, PLEASE follow-up with a 'thank you' email to Ford, and PLEASE post a link to this new thread on ALL the forums who have been discussing this issue. I appreciate Ford, and want to be sure we get the positive word out now that this is resolved.

Special thank you to Whitney, who has joined our forums and sent the following message:

Quote:

My name is Whitney Drake and I work in Ford Communications.
We've been watching this discussion with interest and I'd like to
clarify what is essentially a misunderstanding.

Yesterday we spoke to both Cafe Press and the Black Mustang Club
and explained the situation (about the Black Mustang Club’s calendar) to everyone's satisfaction. Ford has no problem with Mustang or other car owners taking pictures of their vehicles for use in club materials like calendars. What we do have an issue with are individuals using Ford’s logo and other trademarks for products they intend to sell. Understandably, we have to take the protection of our brands and licensing very seriously.

Ford did not send the Black Mustang Club a “cease and desist” letter telling them that they could not use images of their own cars in their calendar. The decision not to allow the calendars to be printed was made by Cafe Press, because we had gotten in touch with them in the past about trademark infringements on products they sold.

The Black Mustang Club, and any other Ford enthusiast club, are free to take pictures of their own vehicles for use in calendars or other materials as long as they don't use Ford trademarks in products that will be sold.

I think it is great that the Black Mustang Club, and any other enthusiast club, would take pictures of their own vehicles for use in calendars or other materials.

I'm looking forward to purchasing a copy to hang in the garage next
to my Mustang (even if mine isn't black).

Thanks for giving us the chance to have our say

.

Please take a moment to send Whitney an e-gift here through the forums to thank her for working with us to get this resolved, and for wanting the calendar, too! She's been a great help and I'll continue to work with Whitney and the Ford team, so welcome her to the BMC family!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me directly. I'm enjoyed hearing from all of you who have written with words of encouragement and support. Thank you very much for greatly extending the BMC family this week!