BoingBoing.net published an interesting post on Sunday about Ford (NYSE: F) and the BMC (Black Mustang Club). According to the BMC automotive forum, the club planned to put together a calendar using pictures of their members’ vehicles and sell it through CafePress. That plan was swiftly put to a stop when the law firm representing Ford contacted CafePress saying that the pictures of the automobiles in the calendar infringes on Ford’s trademarks which includes pictures of Ford cars even after they’re sold.
What do you consider Ford’s strong-arm tactics here? Are they right in trying to protect their brand and trademarks or is this a case of taking things a bit too far?
I’ve to vote for the latter. I think in today’s society, allowing customers to personalize a brand and give it meaning is a critical component to brand loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing. I think there are times when it’s appropriate to have flexibility around trademark infringements. Sending a cease and desist to a fan club seems like a bad move to me, particularly when that cease and desist tells the most loyal customers to a brand to stop showing off their beloved prized-possessions. I’m sure the Ford Mustang owners who belong to the Black Mustang Club might think twice about buying a Ford in the future now that they know how Fort truly feels about them. At the very least, the message Ford is sending could certainly be interpreted as, “we care more about our trademarks than our customers.”
Luckily, Ford saw the error of their ways, and realized their lawyers were making a mistake and alienating the company’s ideal customers. Yesterday, the BMC forums published an update announcing that Ford has given approval for the club to print its calendar as originally planned, but has some damage already been done to the Ford brand name?
What do you think?
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