Chrysler Bullies Florida High School Over Ram Logo
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,505
From: Charleston, WV
Chrysler Bullies Florida High School Over Ram Logo
Auto Maker Threathens School Instead of Offering Goodwill Buyout
Lake Mary High School, Orlando, Florida admitted it used the ram head symbol off of a Dodge truck as it's logo for the school sports teams. Chrysler Corporation (www.chrysler.com) did not care to offer the school licensing terms for the logo even though it will cost the school thousands, maybe tens of thousands to replace everything currently using the logo. Judith Powell, attorney for Chrysler, said it is just not practical to control the use of the logo by students and their parents. Chrysler said it just cannot allow unauthorized use of its trademark. Accordingly, we must insist that the school immediately cease using the mark.
The school proudly displays its ram mascot on all sports team uniforms and all over the campus. Seminole County Superintendent Bill Vogel said he had hoped to work out a reasonable solution but Chrysler insisted the school desist. Apparently, the auto maker didn't care about the negative publicity because the company went ahead and ordered the school to stop using the logo even though it had been having lots of negative publicity already over bankruptcy and government handouts. Students feel the car company has gone too far. As one student put it, leave us alone. You're a big company. Nobody outside of this city will look at a Dodge logo and think of Lake Mary High School. This would never impact Chrysler.
The school will begin to phase out t-shirts and other merchandise with the offending logo. Then it will deal with athletic uniform and finally the gym floor which will cost thousands to remodel. One student say he thought "imitation was the sincerest form of flattery. Apparently, he was wrong. Angry parents said it was us, the taxpayer, that gave Chrysler 6.6 billion dollars just last summer to keep them in business and they are wasting their time on things like this? No wonder they went bankrupt. Chrysler Corporation has been lagging far behind all of the other auto makers in car sales. It is yet to be determined if Chrysler will be able to survive unless Fiat can save it. Corporate spokesman Mark Palese said, "We did not choose this course of action. We had to protect our rights." In the meantime, students, parents and a lot of teachers in Orlando say they won't be buying any Chrysler products anytime soon.
Lake Mary High School, Orlando, Florida admitted it used the ram head symbol off of a Dodge truck as it's logo for the school sports teams. Chrysler Corporation (www.chrysler.com) did not care to offer the school licensing terms for the logo even though it will cost the school thousands, maybe tens of thousands to replace everything currently using the logo. Judith Powell, attorney for Chrysler, said it is just not practical to control the use of the logo by students and their parents. Chrysler said it just cannot allow unauthorized use of its trademark. Accordingly, we must insist that the school immediately cease using the mark.
The school proudly displays its ram mascot on all sports team uniforms and all over the campus. Seminole County Superintendent Bill Vogel said he had hoped to work out a reasonable solution but Chrysler insisted the school desist. Apparently, the auto maker didn't care about the negative publicity because the company went ahead and ordered the school to stop using the logo even though it had been having lots of negative publicity already over bankruptcy and government handouts. Students feel the car company has gone too far. As one student put it, leave us alone. You're a big company. Nobody outside of this city will look at a Dodge logo and think of Lake Mary High School. This would never impact Chrysler.
The school will begin to phase out t-shirts and other merchandise with the offending logo. Then it will deal with athletic uniform and finally the gym floor which will cost thousands to remodel. One student say he thought "imitation was the sincerest form of flattery. Apparently, he was wrong. Angry parents said it was us, the taxpayer, that gave Chrysler 6.6 billion dollars just last summer to keep them in business and they are wasting their time on things like this? No wonder they went bankrupt. Chrysler Corporation has been lagging far behind all of the other auto makers in car sales. It is yet to be determined if Chrysler will be able to survive unless Fiat can save it. Corporate spokesman Mark Palese said, "We did not choose this course of action. We had to protect our rights." In the meantime, students, parents and a lot of teachers in Orlando say they won't be buying any Chrysler products anytime soon.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,165
From: Sterling Heights, MI
Sucks to be the school, but they outright admitted they lifted it from Chrysler...I suppose Chrysler could be cool about it and just ignore it, but at the same time, they have every right to do this.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,224
From: CNY
Chrysler just blew a great marketing opportunity.
Donate a few vehicles to this school, a couple of photo ops, some press releases about how Chrysler cares about communities, how they want to work hand-in-hand to develop the next batch of engineers, etc, and BAM! Great press.
Now they just pissed off a bunch of potential customers.
No, it wasn't right that the school used their logo, but Chrysler could have used this to their advantage.
Way to go Chrysler.
Donate a few vehicles to this school, a couple of photo ops, some press releases about how Chrysler cares about communities, how they want to work hand-in-hand to develop the next batch of engineers, etc, and BAM! Great press.
Now they just pissed off a bunch of potential customers.
No, it wasn't right that the school used their logo, but Chrysler could have used this to their advantage.
Way to go Chrysler.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,712
From: Ontario
Yep, I agree. I'm quite sure the school knew they were using someone else's trademark. I guess the media loves to make corporations out to be the bad guys whenever they can, but I fully support Chrysler on this one.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,165
From: Sterling Heights, MI
Chrysler just blew a great marketing opportunity.
Donate a few vehicles to this school, a couple of photo ops, some press releases about how Chrysler cares about communities, how they want to work hand-in-hand to develop the next batch of engineers, etc, and BAM! Great press.
Donate a few vehicles to this school, a couple of photo ops, some press releases about how Chrysler cares about communities, how they want to work hand-in-hand to develop the next batch of engineers, etc, and BAM! Great press.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,897
From: Greenville, SC
I recall being taught waaaaaaay back in elementary school about how wrong it was to plagiarize...
Ironic, ain't it?
Also, isn't it funny how things get twisted? The title should say "Douchebag school STEALS logo, then gets pissed when they get caught."
Great life lesson for the kiddies, isn't it? It's OK to steal.
Ironic, ain't it?
Also, isn't it funny how things get twisted? The title should say "Douchebag school STEALS logo, then gets pissed when they get caught."
Great life lesson for the kiddies, isn't it? It's OK to steal.
Last edited by Silverado C-10; Feb 18, 2010 at 09:11 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,165
From: Sterling Heights, MI
This is the part that cracks me up:
As if you, the taxpayer, had money physically removed from your pocket and given to Chrysler - and that by doing so, all copyright laws pertaining to Chrysler should be declared null and void.... 
Angry parents said it was us, the taxpayer, that gave Chrysler 6.6 billion dollars just last summer to keep them in business and they are wasting their time on things like this?
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 940
From: Southern Indiana
Chrysler is in the right on this one. You don't protect your logo you lose it. The school is wrong and IMO are getting off light since their only penalty seems to be to remove the offending logos.
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,801
From: South Bend , IN
If they had let the school freely use the logo , then whats to stop anyone else from doing he same . Chrysler was 100% right doing what they did . If they would let the school use the logo for free , companies who pay for rights to use that logo on merchandise woulda had a field day explaining their thoughts on the matter to Chrysler . Whoever or whatever board made the call to use the logo is a fool for thinking this would go un-noticed .
People are to close minded to see the big picture . Dont bad mouth Chrysler , bad mouth the idiot that made the call to use a trademarked logo .
People are to close minded to see the big picture . Dont bad mouth Chrysler , bad mouth the idiot that made the call to use a trademarked logo .
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From: Charleston, WV
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,504
From: Ohio
There isnt even anything to argue about.
The school is 100% totally wrong, and what a great message they are 'teaching' their students:
"It's OK to steal stuff"...
And then people have the nerve to make excuses and boo-hoo and **** on Chrystler about this.
The school is 100% totally wrong, and what a great message they are 'teaching' their students:
"It's OK to steal stuff"...
And then people have the nerve to make excuses and boo-hoo and **** on Chrystler about this.
