- Chrysler on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against Moda Group LLC, which operates Pure Detroit, for copying and selling merchandise with the "Imported from Detroit" tagline from the automaker's hit Super Bowl commercial.
- "It could look like David v. Goliath," admitted Chrysler on its corporate blog on Wednesday, adding that "no one likes a legal solution to an issue."
- The lawsuits says Pure Detroit deprived Chrysler of sales and deprived charities that would have benefited from sales of Imported from Detroit merchandise.
AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Chrysler on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against Moda Group LLC, which operates Pure Detroit, for copying and selling merchandise with the "Imported from Detroit" tagline from the automaker's hit Super Bowl commercial.
"No one likes a legal solution to an issue," said Chrysler on its corporate blog on Wednesday. "It could look like David v. Goliath in the Chrysler lawsuit against Pure Detroit. However, do know that we made repeated attempts to work out a non-legal solution with Pure Detroit."
The lawsuit, filed in Michigan Eastern District Court in Detroit, alleges intellectual property and trademark infringement. It says that Pure Detroit deprived Chrysler of sales and deprived charities that shared in sales proceeds.
In the lawsuit, Pure Detroit said in an e-mail to Chrysler that it was willing to cease all sales of the aforementioned merchandise as of February 24. But the automaker claims that "as of at least March 1, its IfD gear was still being sold at its retail locations."
Chrysler quickly sold out of its initial batch of Imported from Detroit clothing after the airing of the hit Super Bowl commercial that featured Eminem and a gritty portrayal of the Motor City. Chrysler recently began offering an expanded Imported from Detroit merchandise line, complete with a new logo.
Inside Line says: Chrysler says it disputes the "common mentality that, if it's online, it's free." Now the whole mess is in the hands of a Detroit judge. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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copmotor440cid says:
11:13 PM, 03/17/2011
@lostboyz
Couldn't have said it better.
dnoodles says:
01:25 PM, 03/17/2011
i'm not faulting them for pursuing the legal matter. and i could care less where the money goes.
smilez says:
10:51 AM, 03/17/2011
ed341-
We get it, you don't like the design. This is your third post about not liking the design. WE GET IT.
lostboyz says:
10:06 AM, 03/17/2011
@scottyscooter, you really don't think a company can trademark a slogan? You think if chevy started running "Built chevy tough" that ford wouldn't have a case? Its called brand identitiy, and thats why trademarking exists. None of this really matters when all chrysler asked of real detroit was to send a portion of their profits to these charities, they even refused to do that.
I bought one, because being from michigan I appreciate the slogan, its an american made product and the proceeds go to charity. Any scumball company that wants to print it on chinese made shirts and literally steal from charities deserves a slap upside the head.
scottyscooter says:
09:56 AM, 03/17/2011
I don't know exactly what this other company was selling, so I don't know whose side to be on in this argument. If they were copying and using Chrysler's graphic designs then I'm totally on Chrysler's side. On the other hand, if Pure Detroit was creating their own designs and was just using the phrase imported from Detroit, then I hope that Chrysler loses this case.
On a legal level that may be recognized as copyright infringement but on a personal level, I find it irritating to think of a business actually owning the phrase "imported from Detroit". I just plain hate the idea of companies owning words.
ed341 says:
07:55 AM, 03/17/2011
Regardless, if I turned that in to my graphic design instructor in college he would have torn it up.
angry_mushroom says:
02:09 AM, 03/17/2011
That ad campaign doesn't even make sense... Imported from Detroit? Where the hell do you think I live?!?!? Either way... stuff is probably made in China.
coloradosilver says:
03:52 PM, 03/16/2011
@creedawg
1) I don't see that you've said anything in the other forum either about the radiation issue. Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black.
2) The other article says that as of now, the plants are far enough away from the reactors that there should not be anty issues from fallout. The issues they are having are stemming from the eatrthquake and tsunami. So I guess you're right, nobody seems to care about radioactive car parts right now; because there aren't any!
Go find somewhere else to hang your gripes with the people that post here. We post on the topics we choose. Are you really upset that someone chose to post in this thread and not another?
smilez says:
03:43 PM, 03/16/2011
coloradosilver -
That goes for you as well.
smilez says:
03:26 PM, 03/16/2011
msmaserati & dnoodles -
Wow, just wow. Your ignorance is so refreshing to see.
1) With copyright infringment, you have to take care of it. I'm sure they filed a cease and desist order that wasn't adhered to, thereofre, the lawsuit had to happen.
2) If you actually looked into this line of clothing, you'd see that a portion of it goes to charities.
3) Why don't you take a look at this article from last month and click on Chrysler to see where they are built: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/06/19/automobiles/20090619-auto-plants-4.html
4) msmaserati - I don't even know where to begin on your views...