The most recent VW magazines I have read from the USA, UK and here all have an editorial complaining that VW germany and their overseas subsiduaries are suing or otherwise preventing anyone using any name or image that is similar to VW's. This apparently includes VW shows, logos on promotional photograps (even the VW embelem on the front of kombis in pictures apparently!), even words in company names that are only atributed to VW by association, without VW even using the name themselves (such as bug, buggy, vee dub and Dub!).
are they for real?? whats going on with this? I wouldnt imagine a company trying to kill off three generations of enthusiests for no reason at all! Apparently you cant even use the sillouette outline of a beetle to promote your race team if thats what your race car is! A UK VW mag recons that VW is even preventing new and aftermarket parts suppliers selling their wares, even if it was originally purchased from VW!
anyone else heard this? whats the story??
Bizarre 路
Yep
there is a post here some where
It is VWofA (America of course!)
Anyway - they will have to cut the tattoo of my shoulder :P
And i aint gunne change it to read Hyundai either 馃榾
The_Bronze. 路
Yeah I remember reading all of that quite a while ago. Certianly a subject well worth rehashing though.
There have got a big job ahead of them. my kombi VW logo has five rivets holding it onto the front of the Baja, They'll need a drill, and two big mates to keep me at bay while they try and take it off!
The Bronze.
This pic was posted about the same time. I thought it was appropriate.
vw54 路
Yeah they do that about every 6 or so years
when they loose there secruity blanket.
Che Castro 路
honestly what do they have to gain from it? they aren't stupid people and they have to have some sort of rationale behind it
They are silly duffers. VW has already basically backed down for old VW owners displaying images of their own cars (!), but for people who trade in VW repairs or spare bits, I can understand it.
But to stop the media from using the thing... now there's a red flag to people who have some of the sharpest swords around!
Andrew
KruizinKombi 路
They're not thinking, that's the problem!
jenz58 路
True, doesn't make sense 馃檨
You would think VW marketing would want to be 'out there' still in as many ways as possible?? Keep people thinking VW etc
Grey 57 路
Its called "Intellectual Property" and it sounds like the legal and marketing folks at VW have gone mad on it. Shame really cause they will alienate a big part of their market.
Strange that want to divorce themselves form the past. The hippies and baby boomers that used their aircooled products 20 years ago are now the most affluent segment of the market in all developed countries. I would have thought that it would be an ideal opportunity to use the past to market todays products. Obviously they think differently.
jenz58 路
Particularly with so much retro stuff in at the moment and a bit of a '70's revival, they could use it. Well dumb is dumber? Whatever?
70AutoStik 路
Bloody ridiculous! If VW didn't want association with the Beetle craze, why did they make the "New Beetle." I don't think it would make the VeeDub scene falter much: historically, people such as us just come up with a new "code name" and keep going - besides, they can't stop people advertising goods that are "compatible with the VW Beetle TM," or are "VW type."