Groups: Zazzle Admin, Zazzle Employee
Joined: 5/18/2011
Posts: 246
|
Hi Zazzlers,
As many of you are aware, we are periodically approached by intellectual property owners who are concerned that their content may be in use on the site without their express permission. Those sellers who have approached us with their own concerns know that we do take these matters very seriously, and from time to time we remove large groups of products from the marketplace at their request.
We have once again been contacted by a concerned intellectual property owner and we are about to take action. In this case, we were recently contacted by the UK Secretary of Defense and we find ourselves in a position to take appropriate action. It’s our sincere hopes that by pre-announcing these types of sweeps, it will reduce the amount of confusion created in the aftermath of these types of situations.
Here are the areas we are in a position to immediately remove from the site.
Royal Air Force
All designs that contain references to the Royal Air Force; this includes but is not limited to: all logos, insignias, badges, ranks and more.
Royal Navy
All designs that contain references to the Royal Navy; this includes but is not limited to: all logos, insignias, badges, ranks and more.
Red Arrows
All designs that contain references to the Red Arrows; this includes but is not limited to: all photos, insignias and more.
Thanks again for your understanding and support.
The Zazzle Team
|
Groups: Zazzle Admin, Zazzle Employee
Joined: 5/18/2011
Posts: 246
|
Hi Zazzlers,
Please know that Zazzle has been contacted by Representatives from the New York State Department of Economic Development and CMG Wordlwide to remove all products that contain I♥NY.
Anything that contains or resembles this will need to be removed.
Thank you for your understanding.
The Zazzle Team
|
 
Groups: ProSeller
Joined: 11/20/2007
Posts: 10
|
I contacted the UK Defence Ministry myself about this issue when Zazzle pulled several original illustrations of RAF vintage military aircraft (which all obviously bear RAF insignia) from my shop. They were subsequently restored when I produced the following letter, which I offer here as further clarification about the use of insignia:
Thank you for your e-mail. In essence, we agree, and believe that Zazzle has been a little over-officious in following our merchandising agent’s request to remove unlicensed RAF insignia from its listings. This is possibly not entirely Zazzle’s fault, as the use of trade marks on models and pictures has historically been a bit of a grey area, and the position in the US (where I believe Zazzle is based) might well be different from the law here in the UK.
So just to confirm, we have no problem with the reproduction of RAF insignia, where historically accurate, on models and pictures.
The only corollary to this is that we reserve the right to take action in respect of the commercial use of designs less than 50 years old (and particularly those less than 25 years old), as these will still be in copyright. This applies particularly to the livery of the Red Arrows and other display teams, which are some of our more commercial properties and so something we need to police quite strictly where a trader is reproducing the livery in competition to one of our official licensees.
I am very happy that you pass this e-mail on to Zazzle in order to reinstate your listings in accordance with the above advice.
Chris Shea
Christopher Shea
Copyright, Trade Marks and Licensing
Defence Intellectual Property Rights
MOD Abbey Wood North #6228
Bristol BS34 8JH
Tel: 030 6793 2861
Fax: 0117 913 2930
-------------------------------
|