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[Fashion Zombies!]

Apple claims Woolies is getting fresh with new logo

WOOLWORTHS insists its new logo is a stylised W, or a piece of fresh produce; Apple thinks it is an apple, and the California-based technology company wants to stop Australia's largest retailer from using it.

Apple has mounted a legal challenge to prevent Woolworths from using the logo that now adorns its trucks, stores and products, arguing it is too close to its own.

Apple will have to convince IP Australia, the federal government agency that governs trademarks, to knock back Woolworths's application - first filed in August last year - to trademark its logo.

Apple is spooked by the fact that Woolworths has gone for a blanket trademark that would allow it to slap its branding and logo on every imaginable product.

Woolworths' application includes a wide class for all electrical goods and technology, thereby putting it in direct competition with Apple should the retailer choose to brand computers, music players or other devices. Woolworths has gone into credit cards and mobile phones, so the likelihood of it going into computers is not as remote as it seems.

A Woolworths spokesman said: ''While we can't rule anything out, we haven't got any plans at the moment.''

A lesser class of trademark application, that for retail stores, also potentially pits Woolworths against Apple, which is ramping up its retail presence.

Ever since it unveiled its new logo a year ago, Woolworths has been at pains to avoid using the word apple in any commentary.

The man who designed it, Hans Hulsbosch, said Apple was taking trademark protection ''to the extreme''.

''Based on this logic, they would have to take action against every fruitseller,'' Mr Hulsbosch said.

A trademark lawyer, Trevor Choy, said it was common for Apple to prevent anyone from using anything that resembled an apple in a logo or marketing.

''They are just covering off any eventualities,'' Mr Choy said.

But less than 5 per cent of such actions actually make it to court, he said. ''This is often the prelude to settling [the matter]. I doubt it'll go all the way unless, of course, Woolworths decides that they want to go into computers … I doubt Apple expects to win."

Apple is also taking action against a music festival promoter, Poison Apple, which has applied to trademark an apple with a bite out of it atop crossed bones, and Foxtel, whose branding for a new pornography channel, Adults Only, is an apple together with an arrow and a devil's tail..

Apple declined to comment.

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/biz-tech/apple-claims-woolies-is-getting-fresh-with-new-logo-20091004-ghxe.html

[Bookworm.]

That's awesome.

[Erubadhriel]

Apple are idiots. We've had this logo for a year and they've only picked up on it now? It's a freakin w. Morons.

[Frazzy?]

If you don't want other companies having logos similar to yours, maybe not pick something as common as a fucking apple...

[Circus Animal]

Bunch of tools. Almost as bad as Cadbury claiming they own the colour purple.

[Fashion Zombies!]

Apple are idiots. We've had this logo for a year and they've only picked up on it now? It's a freakin w. Morons.

I agree. The only thing that's remotely similar is the little accent like thing at the top. Which Apple hardly can claim as their own, and can hardly say people will get mixed up with Apple.

My boyfriend and I disagree on this case. He does say Apple SHOULDN'T be suing Woolies and disagrees with it, but says they'll win due to being a bigger corporation than Woolworths. I disagree, not only is the whole thing ridiculous, but they have to appeal to the AUSTRALIAN federal government. Not only is it on our playing grounds, the federal government is hardly going to allow one of our OWN leading supermarkets to lose just because Apple is a bigger corporation with fancy lawyers. He also thinks it's Woolworths own fault though, they shouldn't have made the logo like that and they bought it on themselves.

We both also disagreed on Apple seeming to sue everyone about everything. I said it could turn into a public relations disaster, they're gaining a reputation as being the playground bullies who pick on the smaller guys for no real reason, and this one especially outlines that. They have 2 court battles going on at the moment about the logo trademark, and they've had even more in the past for similar things apparently. He pretty much said that Australia's opinion doesn't matter, and America loves it when the big guys win.

I hope he doesn't care I posted this, it's just a topic we spoke about on the phone so I decided to post his opinion too...

[Nev Bartos]

Maybe there's been a lull in iPhones & Macbooks exploding. Apple's legal team has to justify their budget somehow.

[Circus Animal]

Actually, I would have thought that they'd have a legitimate case against Kraft for their stupid iSnack2.0 name. Why are they wasting their time with this?

[Emperor Fadeaway]

I've always thought the w was also an apple.