New York facing pressure from Apple over green logo

by Stevie Smith - Apr 4 2008, 12:46

Seemingly not content with legal wrangling provided by its long running trademark infringement spat with record label Apple Corps, trend-leading gadget company Apple Inc. has now turned its sights on none other than New York City’s moniker as the “Big Apple.” $Apple Inc. takes to its high horse regarding New York\'s GreeNYC apple logo. Credit: GreeNYC.$

Apple Inc. takes to its high horse regarding New York\'s GreeNYC apple logo. Credit: GreeNYC.

More specifically, an apple logo representing New York’s “GreeNYC” initiative to promote improved energy efficiency and recycling has ruffled Apple Inc.’s feathers, with the California-based outfit claiming that the chosen image comes far too close to its own iconic apple logo.According to a complaint filed with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple is claiming that the New York logo design will lead to “consumer confusion resulting in damage and injury” to Apple while also causing “dilution to the distinctiveness” of the Apple trademark.The image in question, which, while undoubtedly an apple in basic shape, bears little resemblance to the Apple logo branded on the likes of the iPod, iPhone and iMac devices, but Apple Inc. clearly doesn’t see it that way.Non-profit tourism and marketing office NYC & Company Inc. filed the trademark application for its apple logo back in May of last year in order to tie the city’s green initiative to a piece of infinity-based recycling imagery and the Big Apple symbolism that is so widely associated with New York’s sprawling coastal skyline.“We believe the ‘infinity apple’ design and its mission to create environmental awareness are unique and distinctive and do not infringe upon the Apple computer brand,” commented a NYC & Company Inc. spokeswoman yesterday.

While unlikely to throw up the same level of legal controversy sparked by the battle between Apple the electronics maker and Apple the record label, the conflict with NYC could still result in a fair degree of mud slinging.Moreover, the city of New York has responded to Apple’s claims that “Big Apple” 12 of its trademarks by requesting that the U.S. Patent and Trademark office throw out the complaint and, while they’re at it, also cancel one of the listed trademarks as it was never fulfilled as appearing on a host of crockery-based merchandise.

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Shih OonOct 14th, 2008 - 23:16:25

That is cool

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New York facing pressure from Apple over green logo

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