Re: A thought-provoking question for legality re: my business name...

Posted by Joe Santana On 2012/3/24 11:54:51

Pick up anything related to classic cars and you can see that whoever holds rights to Packard and the Packard logo does not unreasonably withhold usage to anyone in the hobby. Copyright infringements such as Kanter's copying the style and modification of the Packard logo is not been challenged, as it would if held by a business as opposed to an associated non-profit club. We don't need battles like that. The Packard script (with an "s") is used by Packards International, too, with impunity. So I'd contact PAC and PMCC and notify them that you want to use the Packard logo in association with restoring and even selling Packards. I don't think you'd have any problem with the way you are using the name. But I'm not a lawyer and I don't even play on on TV.

I would like to know if anyone has been refused usage. What are the criteria for refusal. I think what we want to avoid is some copyright attorney buying it and making all of us in the hobby pay to use it. As it stands, if it were Packard related, I don't think usage would be refused or there might be a stink. It's good that some of the trademarks of the company are in the hands of non-profit clubs.

My 4 cents...