Jul 23, 2012
Jack Daniels writes to copyright infringers with friendliness and class
Lawyers who have to protect their clients’ brands from copyright infringement aren’t known for being particularly polite, let alone winsome. Jack Daniels’ team of attorneys appears to be an exception.
The design for author Patrick Wensink’s latest work, as you can see below, borrows heavily from the iconic look of the Jack Daniels brand….
The whiskey’s team of lawyers couldn’t stand by and let their client’s brand be diluted, of course, but that didn’t mean they had to be hardlined or jerks about it. Here’s the best part of their response to Wensink…
This is how to get people to not only agree to your request (which Wensink and his publisher are doing immediately), but actually like you at the same time. All this goodwill just makes me want to go buy some whiskey!
(via Boing Boing)
* * * * *
Now this is how it’s done. Kudos to them for being down to earth about it.
Hear, hear!
I completely thought the link said “JEFF Daniels” when I clicked it.
This makes much more sense.
It’s as if they’ve been reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.
“The whiskey’s team of lawyers couldn’t stand by and let their client’s brand be **diluted**”
1,000,000 points for the play on words
Wish you had a twitter button…
Funny that they don’t want their brand diluted, yet they’re happy to besmirch the good name “whiskey” by applying it to their product.
Hipster. Hating something because others like it…
Really dude? Really?
If you suggest that their product isn’t whiskey (by definition) then what is it? It was made by whiskey regulations which makes it seem like you don’t know what you’re talking about.
If you’ve studied anything about marketing (which clearly you have not); the Jack Daniel’s bottle label is one of the most recognizable labels in the whiskey business. So it seems fair that they would request that the concept of it would not be used on something that they don’t endorse. It was really nice of them to request this rather than jumping straight to a lawsuit!
Besides, “Whiskey,” is not a trademarked name. It’s a type of alcoholic beverage.
Feel free to post back once you complete bar tending school.
bob lob laws law blog
Jack Daniels is the most popular (most liked) whiskey in the world. You against the millions… don’t be so pretentious
You gotta be careful with that argument. Nickelback are popular too, remember.
But Nickelback are actually shitty. Jack Daniels, notsomuch.
Put JD up against Johnny Walker Black (let alone Blue) and you’ll think better.
Then there’s tons of Scottish Whiskey’s that blow it away.
It’s not that good, just popular.
Sounds liek some pretty crazy stuff man!
http://www.WorldAnon.da.bz
I knew I liked Jack Daniel’s for some reason! Why can’t we all just sort things out like this instead of just jumping to lawsuits?
Goog guy Greg, i mean, Jack
Trademark, not copyright. You protect a brand from *trademark* infringement and dilution.
They should have also asked him to fix the kerning on the W e.
Mad respect for the folks at Brown-Forman for handling the situation with diplomacy and aplomb. Too bad their whiskey sucks.
“Oh, how dare you desecrate a national icon?” says you, loyal Jack Drinker. Yet I am not a hipster, nor did I ever once in my life drink wine coolers. I too, share your righteous indignation. After all Jack and Coke is what old Blue Eyes drank! The sad truth is that like much of what was once great about America, Jack Daniels too, has fallen into milquetoast mediocrity.
If you look at the example above, or at the bottle you are drinking from (because you just read this story and said, “good for them! I’m gonna show my support by buying a bottle!) you will notice it says 40% ALC. BY VOL. (80 PROOF). If for some reason you have an old bottle around from before 2005 or so, like if it’s on a high shelf or something, it will say 43% ALC. BY VOL. and if it was before 1986 the bottle will say 45% ALC. BY VOL.
Besides in my humble opinion, Jack Daniels tastes like an old tire.
So to sum up, while I’m pleased as punch Brown-Forman is handling legal matters with benevolence and style, it is my opinion that their flagship product has gone from being a national icon to being the stuff of yuppies and sorority whores. Good job, guys! Now fix your whiskey!
LOL, money to spare, I guess? I thought being in the 1% was unfashionable these days.. you can save up the spare tires for barracading your gates; we’ll drink them happily enough. But I wouldn’t recommend bragging about your exquisite liquors once unemployment hits 10% again.
There’s a band that was originally called Jack Daniels, but after the polite email from the real Jack Daniels, they’ve changer their name to J.D. Overdrive. They too were surprised at the politeness of the whiskey company, so much so that they posted the email and their decision to change on their website (it was a couple of years ago now).
I think the reason why they were so nice was because the book broke no copyright law. They could just claim they were parodying JDs, which means that there has to be some resemblance. (I should also say I’m not 100% on the laws but this is my basic understanding)
Jack makes a great breakfast even better. A whiskey and attorney with class.