Apple targets school in logo row
Apple is threatening to sue a Canadian business school for supposedly infringing its logo. Though it’s unlikely anyone would confuse the logos, the firm seems particularly concerned because the school offers computer courses.
The Victoria School of Business and Technology got the warning letter on August 26, but it’s only just made it public. The letter makes some unambiguous accusations:
We are writing to advise you of Apple’s concerns with your adoption and use of the “VSBT Apple Logo” in association with a business that offers computer software operation courses. Your business logo (depicted below) reproduces, without authority, our client’s APPLE Design Logo which it widely uses. By doing so, you are infringing Apple’s rights, and further, falsely suggesting that Apple has authorized your activities.
Apple lawyers gave the firm until September 10 to change its logo or face possible legal action. The school missed this deadline but wrote back two weeks later saying there was no danger of confusion. Unlike the stilted legal tones of Apple’s lawyers, the school used some pretty plain language:
We find your letter somewhat uncharacteristic of how we have come to know Apple through the excellent business relationship we have shared over the years. In fact I must say we are feeling somewhat bullied by your letter and are not particularly impressed.
The school is now running a poll on its own site asking “Do you agree with Apple that people would confuse the VSBT logo with the Apple logo?” Surprisingly 25% of people have voted in agreement with the computer giant.
Some are already making charges of hypocrisy. As the Tom’s Hardware site points out, Apple itself settled a trademark infringement case with Apple Records (set up by the Beatles) in 1981. As part of the deal, the computing firm promised to stay out of the music business. It’s since wound up in court on several occasions for breaking that promise, including adding a MIDI recording feature to its computers and, most famously, launching iTunes.
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October 8th, 2008
Apple now owns all of the old Apple Corps trademarks. Your example is nonsensical.