Trump Make America Great Again Committee Legimate
Demand more than proof Donald Trump is bringing his business savvy to the campaign trail? He has already trademarked his "Make America Great Again" slogan.
Yes, Ronald Reagan may have said information technology outset, but Trump is the one asserting his commercial rights to the phrase.
Trump applied for a trademark for "Make America Keen Again" in November 2012 -- mere days after the terminal presidential ballot.
Trademark applications typically take a long fourth dimension to process. Trump only received the "Make America Great Over again" trademark in July of this year.
Here's where information technology gets interesting: The trademark is specifically for "political action committee services." In other words, it doesn't say anything well-nigh hats, T-shirts, etc.
Ever since Trump started sporting his red chapeau in early August with "Make America Great Again," it's become a hot seller online. And not but on Trump's website.
Supporters tin buy the hat -- in numerous different colors -- for $25 directly from Trump'south entrada merchandise website. Or they can become a ripoff version from thousands of other sellers for as little as $iv.99.
Related: Anything with Trump name is selling fast
Trump takes legal action against illegal sellers
Trump has had enough of the copycats. Now he's getting his lawyer involved.
One of his first targets is CafePress, a pop website where people can print T-shirts, coffee mugs and other garb. The visitor received a "cease and desist" letter of the alphabet from Trump'southward lawyer at the stop of September.
Trump's legal team fabricated it very articulate in that location would be a lawsuit against CafePress unless the site stopped peddling "Make America Great Again" merchandise.
"This isn't about money. This is well-nigh protecting one'south brand and trademark," Trump's lawyer Alan Garten told CNNMoney.
CafePress hasn't issued an official response, simply it'due south telling that there used to be hundreds, if not thousands, of items available on CafePress with Trump's motto. Searching the site at present for that slogan returns naught with that verbal phrase.
Trump has repeatedly stressed that he'southward a billionaire who is self-funding his campaign and doesn't need outsider'southward coin. But he has as well made information technology clear that he knows how to build a brand. He's made a lot of money licensing the Trump name on everything from hotels to ties.
At present he's set up to exercise the same with "Brand America Slap-up Again."
Related: Donald Trump'southward economy vs. Jeb Bush's: Who wins
Trump applies for another trademark
To clear upwards whatever confusion, Trump applied for another trademark on August 13. This one spells out that the trademark covers bumper sticks, T-shirts, tank tops, campaign buttons, caps and hats, baby article of clothing, blogs. The listing goes on. It could accept months, if not years, for that trademark to be approved.
In the meantime, legal experts say Trump may still have a valid example against CafePress and other sellers.
Paul Callan, CNN'southward legal analyst and a former media law professor, says Trump's lawyers can likely build a solid instance that America now associates the phrase "Make America Peachy Again" with Trump, similar to the way people associate "Just Practise It" with Nike.
"In the public mind, [Trump] has a legitimate argument that the phrase has a commercial secondary significant," says Callan.
Related: How many jobs has Donald Trump created?
There are still thousands of copycat hats and shirts
For at present, Trump's lawyer says the campaign will "selectively" enforce trademark rights.
CafePress is hardly the just site with copycat Trump gear. At that place are over 200 items for sale with Trump'southward campaign slogan on Etsy, (ETSY) over 2,000 on Amazon (AMZN) and over 4,000 on eBay. (EBAY)
When asked for comment, an Etsy spokeswoman said the company "takes intellectual property and copyright concerns very seriously" and that the site "removes items when nosotros have proper notice." Amazon and eBay did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump isn't the beginning to trademark campaign materials. Obama's campaign practical for trademarks for the rising dominicus logo, among others.
In this election bike, Republican Ben Carson too sent a cease and desist letter to CafePress for alleged violation of trademark and copyright.
The company issued a response to Carson: "To borrow from a slogan that is much used in this campaign, information technology doesn't take a brain surgeon to empathize how baseless these claims are."
Source: https://money.cnn.com/2015/10/08/investing/donald-trump-make-america-great-again-trademark/
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