Remember when ford went after several mustang enthusiasts websites and made them change their name? Well now they're doing it to therangerstation.com which has been around for 10 years and is good source of tech info for those vehicles. Ford can't learn?

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32801

this started several years ago. Ford seemed a bit more aggressive than GM or Mopar

One site I visit changed it's name from Ford 6 to Classic Inlines

 

Here's another example:
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/for...m/forum/ford-we-own-rights-your-photos-131555.html?highlight=ford+legal+mustang

http://www.bmcforums.com/showthread.php?t=42402

I'm sure a lot of the people affected by this are going to keep this in the back of their mind next time they buy a car.

 

Biting the hand that feeds them aren't they?
Shane

 

This is disgusting. What a despicable tactic by Ford.

They're backpedaling now. See their twitter page.

 

Its absolutely disgusting what they do. They cant turn a profit selling cars anymore so they sue everyone in sight. They give only a few days to respond and to send them the $5000 or they take you to court. This is obviously to deny them legal counsel.

They did the same thing to us last year over a T-shirt. They graciously lowered the price to $500 after talking to them.... So they get $500 for about 15 minutes of work. I guess its easier then selling cars. At any rate I wont take up too much of your time but I do have a good joke for everyone....

Why do layers coffins have holes in them?
So the maggots can go out to puke!

Jordon

 

This is disgusting. What a despicable tactic by Ford.

They're backpedaling now. See their twitter page.

????????????

I didn't see anything about it from the link. :drunk:

 

I don't get it.....Why didn't Gerald Ford have to change his name???.... :spank:

 

Biting the hand that feeds them aren't they?
Shane

You are wise beyond your years, Shane, well said :thumbup:

 

Therangerstation should contact a lawyer, EFF, and ICANN. Ford is full of bovine fecal matter: the use of the word "ranger" in that domain name is in no way trademark infringement. The sleazeballs calling themselves lawyers are probably counting on their targets to be very uninformed about trademark law in the US.

Anybody here a member on TRS? It looks to me, from the linked thread, that Mr. Oaks is near panic. That's most likely what the sleazeballs want.

This looks like a prime candidate for SpankMyMarketer.com treatment.

 

Just found something in the TRS thread that the Ford lawyers could hang a hat on: It seems at some point (October?) TRS sold decals with the Ford logos. That's a completely different issue than the domain name, though.

 

Issue has been resolved. See link for details.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?p=274763#post274763

 

Issue has been resolved. See link for details.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?p=274763#post274763

That "settlement agreement" isn't just an attempt to bite the hand that feeds it, it's chomping off the upper torso. What a crock 'o Bullpucky. Makes you wonder if StreetBeasts and Ford executives got together in a customer relations class....



In a while, Chet.

 

Weren't those stickers "transformative"? Which is to say, NOT the original Ford logo, but an offshoot of it? The "pissing on Ford" type of stickers also have the Ford logo (and the GM logo, Mopar logo, etc., etc.). Those aren't illegal.

There must be something deeper here that's not immediately visible.

I can't believe what the admin gave up. Look at points #3 and #4 in the agreement. He can't show competitors' ads? And can't make disparaging comments about Ford?

Check out this sentence from the "resolution" post:

If you have ad banners you may want to make sure you have Fords competition filtered out.

 

And then you have

2) Agree that the 'Ranger' is a product of Ford.

. I guess Polaris better bulk up their legal team. And so should the makers of Ranger boats. Oh wait, by typing this, I've insulted Ford. Jon, you better lock this thread now.

I would ask that anyone who has posted about this on another website link the discussions here and ask that the moderator on that site lock the topic.

Heavens no, I don't mean that. Leave it open and wait with both barrels loaded for bear, I mean Bullspit.


In a while, Chet

 

Here is Ford's PR guy scottmonty's response to all this:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32875

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Spin, spin. Note how he says:

In short, we are not asking for $5,000 and we would like TheRangerStation.com to keep the domain name.

His use of the present tense ("we are not asking") allows an easy back-door to escape responsibility for any previous request. Ford could have previously asked for $5,000, then changed their position, after which they can legally say: "We are not asking for $5,000".

Ford's bullying tactics aren't going away. We will no doubt be hearing of more of their antics, perhaps on this website.

Regarding Ford's "social media" PR guy, I think he's so full of crap that if you carved a moon in his forehead...

...he'd be an outhouse .

 

Weren't those stickers "transformative"? Which is to say, NOT the original Ford logo, but an offshoot of it? The "pissing on Ford" type of stickers also have the Ford logo (and the GM logo, Mopar logo, etc., etc.). Those aren't illegal.

There must be something deeper here that's not immediately visible.

"Transformative" may protect you from copyright infringement. Parody and journalistic reporting can protect you from both copyright and trademark infringement. Selling products by using another's trademark is treading within the minefield of trademark law, as I understand it. (Not a lawyer).

Those "pissing on" stickers' manufacturers had best be licensed by the trademark owners if they use trademarks or else they're simply banking on not being noticed in the crowd. Trademarks can become public domain if not protected.

If the logo used is close enough to confuse the average "consumer" as to the origins of the product (or rather, if the trademark owner's lawyers can convince judge or jury of that confusion), it's likely trademark infringement.


BTW, any settlement reached with a lawyer on one side and a non-lawyer on the other will be horrendously lop-sided -- aka, a fool's bargain. In my opinion, of course.

P.S.:
Sorry, can't find my trademark law links right now. Maybe they're in that Ferrari limo thread from 'way back when.

 

Now here's a full load of that "bullspit" like schnitz was referring to, from "Scott Monty" in the above-linked TRS thread:

Please know that Ford takes no joy in pursuing enthusiast sites. Since there are a number of sites out there with Ford vehicles as part of their names or URLs, some people have asked if they should be concerned. Ford has been and continues to be willing to license its trademarks for use by enthusiast groups and enthusiast websites. Requesting a license is done easily by contacting tmgroup@ford.com. To request a license to produce or sell branded merchandise bearing Ford's trademarks, contact branduse@ford.com.

In short, we are not asking for $5,000 and we would like TheRangerStation.com to keep the domain name. We simply encourage TheRangerStation.com to contact Ford to request a license to continue using the domain name.

BALDERDASH! It's either a complete misunderstanding of the domain name system OR a complete snow job! If the domain name was fordranger.com then they might have a leg to stand on. It's not.

See, for example, http://www.taubmansucks.com

 

Regarding Ford's "social media" PR guy, I think he's so full of crap that if you carved a moon in his forehead...

...he'd be an outhouse .

Man, I needed that laugh.

Don't need an already filled outhouse, though. 'Specially not one which expells such stuff.

 

Let's assume, for discussion, that the stickers were completely, totally, 100% infringing on Ford's trademark. Not monumentally difficult to believe anyway.

I think that something really significant happened behind the scenes. Now TheRangerStation isn't allowed to run ads for Ford's competitors. And, they can't say anything disparaging about Ford. How can you run a Ford forum for a single day without saying a bunch of disparaging (and complimentary) things about Ford!

Also, look at point #5 in the agreement -- it's like they intentionally locked him into holding the domain name, so that a new owner couldn't potentially tell Ford to shove it.

My guess is that someone's freedom or financial security was threatened to the point that Ford's happy fun-time legal team was able to hornswaggle the admin into forking over his freedom.

Seems like Ford is gaining power.

 

Good lawyer joke!

An engineer dies and reports to hell. Pretty soon, the engineer gets dissatisfied with the level of comfort in hell, and starts designing and building improvements. After a while, they've got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and the engineer is a pretty popular guy.

One day God calls Satan up on the telephone and says with a sneer, "So, how's it going down there in hell?"

Satan replies, "Hey things are going great. We've got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and there's no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next."

God replies, "What??? You've got an engineer? That's a mistake -- he should never have gotten down there; send him up here."

Satan says, "No way. I like having an engineer on the staff, and I'm keeping him."

God says, "Send him back up here or I'll sue."

Satan laughs uproariously and answers, "Yeah, right. And just where are you going to get a lawyer?"

 

Seems like Ford is gaining power.

I just now read the "settlement" post. You have a way with understatement -- kinda like the music accompanying the shower scene in Hitchcock's Psycho. Now I understand the disgust you and schnitz were showing.

That settlement should probably be titled, "Capitulation Terms". Looks to me like Ford bought a working domain for the price of their harassment.

This seems reasonable:

1) Stop selling the decals since I do not have a trademark license to sell

This might be reasonable, if vetted and advised by a trademark attorney following a proper search:

2) Agree that the 'Ranger' is a product of Ford.

The rest simply turn major control of the site over to Ford.


Might be time to change the artwork on the Hotrodders.com tee shirt.

 

This is disgusting. What a despicable tactic by Ford.

They're backpedaling now. See their twitter page.

Maybe they will finally sue the beast for their 34 ford Coupe ? maybe you can help them Jon, you seem to like this kinda stuff

 

The rest simply turn major control of the site over to Ford.

Exactly. They can't post ads for Ford's competitors, they can't say anything bad about Ford, and they can't even turn over the site to someone else. Now, they work for Ford.

Looks like Ford parlayed a single sticker-selling incident into complete ownage. And look how the admin made such a blatant 180-degree turn. Now he's telling people that if they follow those 5 points, they "will be OK". And, he's advising people to filter out ads for Ford's competition!

Can't even believe this is happening. I'm still hoping that I've got it all wrong, or that it's some sort of sick joke. If it's not, I think you're right about the Hotrodders.com t-shirts.

 

I knew I'd read something not long ago about domain names and trademarks.

Dealers and resellers can use a manufacturer's trade mark as a domain name even when their sales are not authorised by the manufacturer, an arbitration panel has ruled.

-- Trade mark owner loses domain name claim against unauthorised reseller, Out-Law News, 2008-11-19

In the above linked case, there is commerce directly related to the trademark, against the wishes of the trademark owner, and yet the unauthorized dealers keep the domain names that include the characters in the trademark. It's a sensible ruling (even if it doesn't go far enough to end trademark land-grabs and bullying).

Now how much weight should be given to the Ford representative's bluster about therangerstation.com name?
About as much weight as a puff of smoke blown at the posterior?

Here's a big question, even assuming that Ford has a strong claim to the word "ranger" in this context:

Was the name therangerstation.com registered in bad faith back in 1999?

See EFF: Trademark: Domain Names for a quick education in this area.

(For more bullying news, try a search for Mike Rowe Soft).