“Woolworths’ recently introduced logo is a stylised W resembling a piece of fruit (echoing its ‘fresh food people’ slogan),” Stephen Withers reports for iTWire. “But Apple thinks the new logo is too similar to the stylised apple design it has used in various forms and colours since the early days of the company.”
“Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem. Trade marks are granted for specific categories of products and services, allowing Hyundai and Microsoft to use the same trade mark (Excel) for a car and a computer program,” Withers reports. “But Woolworths is trying to register its logo as a trademark in Class 9 (among others), which includes ‘apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images… calculating machines, data processing equipment and computers… computer devices and computer peripheral devices… [and] computer hardware and software.'”
“Apple has products in all of those categories,” Withers reports. “Another issue is that Apple already uses its logo to identify its retail stores.”
Full article here.
Julian Lee reports for The Age, “Apple will have to convince IP Australia, the Federal Government agency that governs trademarks, to knock back Woolworths’ application – filed in August last year – to trademark its logo.”
“Woolworths’ application includes a wide class for electrical goods and technology, putting it in direct competition with Apple should the retailer choose to brand computers, music players or other devices,” Lee reports. “Woolworths has gone into credit cards and mobile phones, so the likelihood of it going into computers is not too remote.”
“Trademark lawyer Trevor Choy said it was common for Apple to prevent others from using anything that resembled an apple in a logo or marketing,” Lee reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Clearly, Apple is right to protect themselves against the possibility of Woolworths slapping said logo on some random phones, music players, PCs and/or other electronic devices and potentially confusing consumers and diminishing decades of hard work and money that Apple has invested in their brand’s logo – one of the most valuable in the world.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Judge Bork” for the heads up.]
I agree with some of you poster that Apple, Inc is right to sue to protect its brand image from any company wanting to use something too similar.
As noted Woolworths also sell electronic devices such as computers and music players.
Remember brand recognition is very important to any commercial business after all for many corporations it is the brand imagery that enabled that business to succeed. For instance Hoover the brand maker of vacuum cleaners, it is because of their brand imagery why we tend to call vacuum cleaners here in the UK, Hoovers, even for vacuum cleaners not made by Hoover!
FWIW, I’d say that Apple Records also has a case against Woolworth’s. A green, apple, promoting music devices. Hmmm.
Sorry, my last post is addressed to ‘Sarasota’.
Me In LA – The logo is FINE – sans the leaf.
Why would Woolworth’s need that if not to spark ire with Apple?
Explain that, then I’ll decide.
Before you show what a dope you are – do some research on the topic…oops, too late.
Me In LA – The logo is FINE – sans the leaf.
Why would Woolworth’s need that if not to spark ire with Apple?
Explain that, then I’ll decide.
Before you show what a dope you are – do some research on the topic…oops, too late.
Well,
If Apple wants to protect its trademark at all, it is required by law to do so vigorously. And of course, Apple’s trademark is one of the most recognized and respected in any industry. Its customer service satisfaction record also makes it one of the most valuable trademarks.
As to who is blind, . . . take a good look at the top, bottom and sides of each of these and they are the same, with only minor exceptions, . . . right down to that stem. Then ask any graphics professional about the shadow contouring.
And lastly, I see a lot of new names on the board, today. Could it be astroturfing day?
What, suddenly the apple with the massive stem is the symbol for fresh food? Since when? Oh yeah, since Apple Computer created the symbol.
“…and potentially confusing consumers and diminishing decades of hard work and money that Apple has invested in their brand’s logo – one of the most valuable in the world.”
If Apple’s logo is one of the most valuable in the world, wouldn’t it be easy to tell apart from a stylized green “w”?
Maybe I’m just that much more perceptive than the rest of the world, but I have absolutely *no* problem telling the two logos apart. I think Apple is overreacting.
Department stores often create their own brand and market products with that label.
Kirkland’s Signature, Trader Joe’s. Safeway Select.
This can extend to whatever the company wants to sell.
There is nothing wrong with the logo. It’s fresh, original, is NOTHING like the Apple Inc. logo. If anything, though, this controversy is great advertising for Woolworth’s. Apple can’t win in this one. They will look like the bad guy no matter what.
It seems that many posters were not privileged to read Twain in school. As a public service, we now bring them an extraordinarily relevant quote from Mark Twain:
Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
woolworths looks like it is composed of bananas at best. At worst its ambiguous and has not apple-like features…no apples involved as far as I can tell. Though I’m no art critic and therefore not adept at seeing exactly what my prejudices and preconceptions tell me I should be looking for….its like that silly suit apple brought against NYC’s emblem. Talk about idiotic. It’ll get laughed out of court…as it should.
one wonders then if apple are going to go after kraft for naming the new vegemite: iSnack???
just change the direction of the stem…..
NO ! Don’t HAVE ANY stem.
Why would a W have a stem? the letter i might.(for the dot)
I’ll tell you what the stem is for:
You already know why—– to make it look like Apple’s.
Come on.
If the W had a bite out of it…
OR if it have a stem for NO reason?
The Apple Fan boys sure got their panties in a bunch of this logo. Its amazing that they cannot tell the difference between a green W and the Apple logo. Pathetic.
@rattiemouse
Apple Fan boys? What are you, a Disney knockoff?
It’s not about what any of us can tell, it’s about the possibility that similar goods will have a similar logo, diluting Apple’s brand. The differences will be far less noticeable on a small version of the logo, particularly where no real Apple logos are nearby. So, I think they have a valid case.
@ Jim – TIV,
“It does however have the same basic shape …”
Yeah, and so does my wife’s fat arse.
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Nah, don’t waste money on this, Apple.
@Sir Bill Gates….
Ouch I’m tellin’,,,,,,,,,,,
@Ron Robertson
Only an idiot thinks these logos look the same. You moron.
Neither GreeNYC, nor VSBT, nor Woolworth’s use of an apple reminds me in any way Apple’s apple, yet Apple has taken legal action against all three companies.
I’m not a lawyer, but in my opinion it is the bite that makes Apple’s apple special. How long until Apple goes after the dozens education companies which use an apple as a logo?
@ Buster,
Yeah, that was wrong of me. I will pay for it.
rattlemouse,
I take insult dear sir! Not all MDN users are one-eyed fanboys. Maybe we should take down a list of the one-eyed users and compare it to the legal outcome. At this site there are mac users, fanboys, and astroturfers (the latter are usually pissed off neo-cons who are still stunned over last year’s U.S. Presidential election results). I’m just a mac user; and if you look at about 25 percent of the posts so are they. As for the rest…???!!!
P.S. At this site the way some people think, Apple should sue apple growers as well, but then again maybe I’m being a tad facetious.
Woolworths are a pretty big force here in Australia. I think Apple are best to be apprehensive with Woolies trying to register it’s logo in Class 9. Woolies have recently (last couple of years) actively developed their own brand of groceries (excellent quality) which are just a bit cheaper (sometimes a lot cheaper) than all of the competitors. This has forced many smaller grocery producers to go under or disappear from one of the 2 big grocery chain stores shelves (or make groceries direct for Woolies at a lower margin…). Woolies do produce a great product (and they have a huge, almost complete range of groceries) but it’s a bit too big brother for me. When all of the competitors have gone, there’s no doubt that the prices go up (and quality will get diluted). I must admit that I never mistook the new Woolies logo as an Apple rip-off, but if they start selling “W” brand electronics, a tiny “W” logo may look pretty damn similar (and cheaper) to the real thing!
Just imagine the “fun” Psystar could have with computers sporting this new Woolworth’s logo:
“Why yes, we *can* license our Snow Leopard virtualization technology to Woolworth’s. Why? Because their computers are “apple”-branded! So it’s okay!”