Any Lawyers in the House? Trademark Infringement?

[gvibes]

Are you really posting someone's address and phone number and recommending that the OP "take matters into his own hands"? Jesus, man, get help. She's not even in the wrong here.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by gvibes

Are you really posting someone's address and phone number and recommending that the OP "take matters into his own hands"? Jesus, man, get help. She's not even in the wrong here.

+1. That's just uncalled for, and stupid.

 

[gdl203]

I'm surprised you could have been let go twice in recent months... you exhibit such impeccable judgment...

 

[IUtoSLU]

This isn't 4chan...jeeze.

 

[Davidko19]

hahaha... lighten up guys, geez.


fine, ill erase it.

 

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by DNW

+1. That's just uncalled for, and stupid.


I'm the one that's not happy with grill manufacturer that shall not be named, but no way I go anywhere close to that. I was thinking a strongly worded response letter saying how disappointed I am that all the free advertising I have done for said grill manufacturer was met with such disdain. That's way over the line... Yikes...

 

[gvibes]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

I'm the one that's not happy with grill manufacturer that shall not be named, but no way I go anywhere close to that. I was thinking a strongly worded response letter saying how disappointed I am that all the free advertising I have done for said grill manufacturer was met with such disdain. That's way over the line... Yikes...
She certainly could use some lessons in tact.

 

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by gvibes

She certainly could use some lessons in tact.

And how the innerwebs work. The thing she is objecting to is the word <grill manufacturer that shall not be named> appearing in a tag cloud and linking to, well tags!?!? Someone at said grill manufacturer needs to get a handle on this form of media but I'm guessing relying on a dwindling reputation is the path they will take rather than innovate...

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

We're hosting a BBQ competition in October and I sent an email to Weber asking for a donation for the grand prize since it's for charity. Not only did they deny me a grill but I got slapped with a cease and desist. How you like this ****? Clicking on the word Weber in the word cloud takes one to this page Each and every one of those links involves a recipe done on a weber product. Am I missing something here? How is that infringing on anything? How is this violating the bolded above? Is any mention of Weber in electronic media supposed to have a link back to Weber.com? So I was a huge fan of Weber and now I'm, well, not.
That is by several orders of magnitude the friendliest, most even handed and personalized cease and desist letter I have ever seen in my life.

 

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by SField

That is by several orders of magnitude the friendliest, most even handed and personalized cease and desist letter I have ever seen in my life.

Seriously? Does that mean I shouldn't fire off an angry letter back? And if lawyers call that friendly, what the hell is wrong with you people?!?! JK. I took it rather harshly...

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

Seriously? Does that mean I shouldn't fire off an angry letter back? And if lawyers call that friendly, what the hell is wrong with you people?!?! JK. I took it rather harshly...

I mean, maybe you should read some other ones that people get. It was incredibly friendly.

 

[gdl203]

It was rather friendly for a cease and desist letter. It was very unfriendly for a reply to a charity prize request.

 

[GrillinFool]

Someone summed it up this way on another site:

It has got to be chapping your hide and i feel for you GF. I've read you hyping their products and recommending them to new comers asking for suggestions over the past few years. Almost like a good friend just told you to pound salt!

Hard to sugar coat that enough.

Despite that, I still toned down my rebuttal. I haven't sent it yet. Need it reviewed by my lawyer first...

 

[GrillinFool]

You are not going to believe this ****. Got this from an iFriend of mine:

consider this: www.uspto.gov these are the people who keep the federal records of quote: "federally registered trademarks" quote Ms. Ditz: First, your use of our trademarks, namely “Weber” and “Weber Kettle” in your “key words” banner on the left side of your home page is misleading. Clicking on these trademarks takes one to a random recipe that you are promoting, rather than anything “Weber” or “Weber Kettle.” Not only is this an unauthorized use of our federally registered trademarks, it is very confusing to any visitor to your site who clicks on these key words to gain information on Weber. unquote Ms Ditz Ms Ditz apparently has not checked the federal register of trademarks because "Weber Kettle" is not registered with the US patent and trademarks office. uspto has 165 occurrences of weber in singular, plural or combination. "kettle" does not appear in any of them. they do own "BAR-B-KETTLE" perusing the "WEBER" entries, Weber-Stephens owns multiples. all that I found at the Federal level, are: Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING translated: a graphic logo ps: weber in san serif is not the weber stylized type in a box logo wonder why? well, because somebody else previously registered WEBER as Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS so Weber-Stephens Ms Ditz is blowing smoke so far out her, uhhmm, 'thing' it's not funny. the word(s) / letters are registered to an insurance company. Weber Kettle is not federally registered at all, never has been, "weber kettle" is not live or dead, it's a figment of Ms. Ditz's federally mismanaged imagination. they may have a logo containing weber kettle - I didn't bother - but they don't own the words or phrase at the federal level. there is a state level, bu of course if you're out of their state it doesn't apply and if registered only at the state level, that makes Ms. Ditz a first class fibber, and her extensive staff she rode in on. here's everything the the feds know about "weber" 1 85050364 HELY & WEBER TARR LIVE 2 85046462 WEBLY ZOOM TARR LIVE 3 85041582 HELY & WEBER TARR LIVE 4 85028111 KEM WEBER TARR LIVE 5 85010426 WEBERLINE TARR LIVE 6 79045418 WEBER FOOD ROBOTICS TARR DEAD 7 79041592 WEBER TARR DEAD 8 79014785 3283173 WEBER TARR LIVE 9 79031047 MHW TARR DEAD 10 79012583 3130077 STERN WEBER TARR LIVE 11 79008166 WEBER TARR DEAD 12 79007836 WEBER HAUS TARR DEAD 13 78552760 3573941 W TARR LIVE 14 78908583 TRAVELWEBER TARR DEAD 15 78581809 3399484 ALBERT WEBER SINCE 1852 TARR LIVE 16 78892360 3317803 COLE & WEBER UNITED TARR LIVE 17 78834719 3201561 BRUCE G. WEBER PRECIOUS JEWELS TARR LIVE 18 78801192 3244191 CROWN EXCEL DISPOSAL A SUBSIDIARY OF FRED WEBER, INC. TARR LIVE 19 78793868 3210812 FRED WEBER INC TARR LIVE 20 78793866 3177040 FW DISPOSAL L.L.C. A SUBSIDIARY OF FRED WEBER INC. TARR LIVE 21 78793856 3271802 Q QUALITY SAND INC. A SUBSIDIARY OF FRED WEBER, INC. TARR LIVE 22 78793854 3271801 BLUFF CITY MINERALS A SUBSIDIARY OF WEBER, INC. TARR LIVE 23 78667262 W REDLINE WEBER CARBURETOR TARR DEAD 24 78627571 WEBER NIGHTLIGHT TARR DEAD 25 78581897 A. WEBER SINCE1852 TARR DEAD 26 78554469 THE WEBER TARR DEAD 27 78552753 3235865 WEBER TARR LIVE 28 78552737 3274235 WEBER TARR LIVE 29 78137965 2772703 AMY WEBER TARR DEAD 30 78012562 2740773 WEBER'S MACKINAC ISLAND FLORIST TARR DEAD 31 78473393 3027758 AWEBER TARR LIVE 32 78483420 3011409 WEBER TARR LIVE 33 78457505 MARLENE WEBER TARR DEAD 34 78349098 3077484 WEBER TARR LIVE 35 78349094 3114931 WEBER TARR LIVE 36 78317672 2910877 OLIVER WEBER COLLECTION TARR LIVE 37 78303422 TEQUILANA WEBER AZUL TARR DEAD 38 78277622 2918184 WEBERWORKS TARR LIVE 39 78260751 2862778 LAURIE WEBER TARR LIVE 40 78227286 2973096 WEBER DR TARR LIVE 41 78070939 W WEBER DISTRIBUTION YOUR STRONGEST LINK TARR DEAD 42 77844467 3792963 IWA TARR LIVE 43 77746026 WEBER RACING CAMS TARR DEAD 44 77510089 WEBER ULTRASONICS TARR LIVE 45 77736286 3756974 SENIOR STAR AT WEBER PLACE TARR LIVE 46 77869376 WEBER HAUS CACHAÇARIA WH DESDE 1948 TARR LIVE 47 77844469 IRVING WEBER ASSOCIATES TARR LIVE 48 77805531 WEBER-HYDRAULIC.COM TARR LIVE 49 77635151 3657247 W TARR LIVE 50 77304086 WEBER TARR LIVE 51 77351518 WM TARR LIVE 52 77445037 WEBER TARR LIVE 53 77459073 INTERWEBERS TARR DEAD 54 77427758 3575194 W TARR LIVE 55 77366339 WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY TARR DEAD 56 77224339 WEBER HAUS TARR DEAD 57 77110295 3531682 AIMEE WEBER STUDIO TARR LIVE 58 77108411 3342293 WEBER TARR LIVE 59 77084214 CHRISTIAN WEBER TARR DEAD 60 76449635 2916597 WEBER CHILL TARR LIVE 61 76269557 2809727 WWW.WEBER.COM TARR LIVE 62 76370742 3177356 REPOSADO 100% DE AGAVE TEQUILA CABO WABO REPOSADO 100% TEQUILANA WEBER BLUE AGAVE FROM THE REGION OF TEQUILA, STATE OF JALISCO, MEXICO HECHO EN MEXICO CONT. NET. 750 ML 40% ALC. VOL. 80 PROOF NOM 1426 CRT TARR LIVE 63 76658634 WEBERBILT EXPRESS TARR LIVE 64 76432249 2793975 COAST, WEBER & AHAUS TARR LIVE 65 76687929 TWO THUMBS UP WEBER'S TARR DEAD 66 76261663 2575932 WEBER GRILL TARR LIVE 67 76607078 3524507 WEBERBILT TARR LIVE 68 76244810 2614725 WEBER TARR LIVE 69 76352943 2642680 SIMPLY NATURAL EDGAR A. WEBER & CO. TARR LIVE 70 76630692 WEBER TARR DEAD 71 76543174 3238443 WEBER MOTOR TARR LIVE 72 76244973 2875981 WEBER TARR LIVE 73 76149558 WEBER TARR DEAD 74 76096382 WEBERACTIVE TARR DEAD 75 76080627 2490449 WEBER ASSOCIATES TARR LIVE 76 76011587 WEBER WORLD WIDE DISTRIBUTION TARR DEAD 77 76011586 WEBER WORLD WIDE LOGISTICS TARR DEAD 78 75597443 2309178 WEBERVATIONS TARR LIVE 79 75578345 2316030 WEBER WEAR THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE TARR LIVE 80 75795761 2463388 SHARON WEBER FASHION EYEWEAR TARR DEAD 81 75762671 2413774 GERRY WEBER TARR LIVE 82 75639886 WEBER ADVANTEDGE TARR DEAD 83 75607356 WEBER COMPUTER SYSTEMS TARR DEAD 84 75487516 2646037 WEBER WEBER BIOLOGISCHE ARZNEIMITTEL TARR LIVE 85 75121066 2143671 WEBER TARR DEAD 86 75487006 2443035 WEBER WEBER BIOLOGISCHE ARZNEIMITTEL TARR LIVE 87 75243618 2194811 WEBER TARR LIVE 88 75499769 WEBER & WILLIAMS COFFEE COMPANY TARR DEAD 89 75461719 SCHALLER & WEBER TARR DEAD 90 75438365 2315425 WEMCO TARR DEAD 91 75308891 2182205 COURT ONE BY GERRY WEBER TARR DEAD 92 75288307 CREAM O'WEBER TARR DEAD 93 75276790 THEWEBERS TARR DEAD 94 75276728 THEWEBERS.COM TARR DEAD 95 75114731 ACCUWEBBER TARR DEAD 96 75066667 2027283 WEBER'S FLORAL GIFTS TARR DEAD 97 75046864 CURTIS WEBER TARR DEAD 98 75046862 2218035 CURTIS WEBER TARR DEAD 99 75020970 2159290 W WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY UTAH 1889 TARR LIVE 100 75016302 WEBER TARR DEAD 101 74556673 1916577 SURF BOARDS BY DEWEY WEBER TARR LIVE 102 74628635 1982160 GERRY WEBER TARR LIVE 103 74715547 2054064 WEBER TARR LIVE 104 74383616 1830082 WEBER MARTIN W FINE ARTISTS' MATERIALS SINCE 1853 TARR LIVE 105 74327592 1789576 WEBER'S SUPERIOR OLD FASHIONED ROOT BEER SINCE 1933 TARR LIVE 106 74037206 1735215 WEBER TARR LIVE 107 74641969 1996558 WEBER TARR LIVE 108 74641966 1965349 WEBER TARR LIVE 109 74623220 2007054 W WEBER DISTRIBUTION THE STRONGEST LINK TARR DEAD 110 74622541 1942754 HEREDITARY HEMORRHAGIC TELANGIECTASIA OSLER WEBER RENDU SYNDROME TARR DEAD 111 74478391 1932578 WEBER PROTECTION TARR DEAD 112 74382108 1828671 WEBER'S PET SUPERMARKET TARR DEAD 113 74310622 WEBER TARR DEAD 114 74310621 WEBER TARR DEAD 115 74262599 1793043 SCHALLER & WEBER TARR LIVE 116 74234645 1756774 WEBER COSTELLO LEARNING BOARD TARR DEAD 117 74100723 1663408 WEBER TARR LIVE 118 73059349 1033225 WEBER TARR LIVE 119 73596617 1438490 WEBER-HYDRAULIK W TARR LIVE 120 73777123 1685066 WEBER TARR LIVE 121 73759500 1604355 W WEBER TARR DEAD 122 73750457 WEBER FLAMGO TARR DEAD 123 73713509 1581129 WEBER TARR DEAD 124 73686316 1489262 WEBER TARR DEAD 125 73681618 1484065 WEBER GRABBERS TARR DEAD 126 73652621 1467739 WEBER TARR LIVE 127 73625484 WEBER TARR DEAD 128 73621105 1464197 WEBER TARR LIVE 129 73608517 1449815 SUZY WEBER TARR DEAD 130 73519612 1351106 WEBER ON WHEELS TARR DEAD 131 73516958 1418016 WEBER W MARTIN FINE ARTISTS' MATERIALS SINCE 1853 A MARTIN INSTRUMENT COMPANY TARR DEAD 132 73475554 1355911 WEBER TARR LIVE 133 73425958 MICHAEL WEBER TARR DEAD 134 73410341 1321547 WEBER'S DISK-FILE SYSTEM TARR DEAD 135 73388464 WEBER STOR-A-FILE TARR DEAD 136 73334157 1270123 WEBER'S SUPER WHITE TARR DEAD 137 73295070 WEBER MARINE TARR DEAD 138 73266555 1176667 WEBER WEEDER TARR DEAD 139 73195982 1169482 SCHALLER & WEBER TARR LIVE 140 73104025 1098209 WOLF WEBER TARR DEAD 141 73036869 1057235 FAO SCHWARZ FIFTH AVENUE FRANZ CARL WEBER INTERNATIONAL TARR DEAD 142 71510692 0521717 WEBER'S TARR LIVE 143 71579956 0532140 WEBER TARR LIVE 144 72008078 0642408 WEBER'S TARR LIVE 145 72031221 0669675 A WEBER'S VARIETY BREAD TARR DEAD 146 72026220 0661926 WEBER TARR DEAD 147 72026218 0661017 WEBER TARR LIVE 148 72409994 0958081 WEBER TARR DEAD 149 72339446 0903682 WEBER TARR DEAD 150 72306561 0872631 NOW! BY WEBER TARR DEAD 151 72276779 0846908 WEBER TARR DEAD 152 72258306 0848215 MINNI BY WEBER TARR DEAD 153 72229425 0812871 WEBER ROYAL BANNER TARR DEAD 154 72213822 0803028 WEBER TARR DEAD 155 72210625 0811229 WEBER TARR LIVE 156 72187923 0785335 WEBER TARR DEAD 157 72154002 0755412 W WEBER TARR DEAD 158 72097431 0748851 MRS. WEBER'S TARR DEAD 159 72083815 0710999 FRANZ WEBER TARR DEAD 160 72053085 0676101 WEBER W TARR DEAD 161 72013491 0657544 WEBER W TARR DEAD 162 71557958 0537912 MRS. WEBER'S TARR DEAD 163 71544470 0513078 WEBER'S SUPERIOR TARR DEAD 164 71537110 0541642 WEBER TARR DEAD 165 71010420 0051459 WEBER TARR DEAD

 

[Kyoung05]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

You are not going to believe this ****. Got this from an iFriend of mine:

So your post prompted me to conduct my own search of the USPTO database for any WEBER trademark registrations (to satisfy my own curiosity). Looks like they do own the federal registration for "WEBER," and have done so since 1965 (Reg. #0811229). However, your friend is right - WEBER KETTLE is not a federally registered mark, so with respect to that mark, Ms. Ditz misstated the facts. There are 2 things to bear in mind though - (1) Federal registration is not required to establish rights in a trademark, i.e. common law rights arise from actual use of a mark; and (2) because one cannot register a "generic" or "descriptive" mark with the USPTO, it could be that Weber was not able to register the word "KETTLE" as part of its trademark (in fact, the word "kettle" is used in its description of goods).

In any event, it seems that Ms. Ditz was incorrect to imply that WEBER KETTLE was a "federally registered trademark," but that doesn't mean that the rest of her letter is without merit.