Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Luce
What about using a pic of your camera on your website. Is that legal? what about the "HD" logo on a site?
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Answer: it depends. Non-functional product configuration can be protectable as trade dress and, of course, the HD logo is a registered service mark. There are two prohibitions prohibitions against use of another's trademark: you can't use it if (1) it will result in consumer confusion as to source, or (2) it results in dilution of the distinctive character of a famous mark (blurring), or brings a famous mark into disrepute (tarnishment). Without knowing what's on your website or how it's used, there's no way to tell whether your use would be permissible or not (and, of course, that's a separate question from whether you would be sued or not).
My hobby website,
www.travelersvideo.com, contains images of my VX2000 and, also, makes liberal use of the SONY mark in its descriptive material. It is, however, a non-commercial use though, in my personal opinion (not offered as a legal opinion for reliance by others), the uses I've made of the images and the SONY trademark (as well as other trademarks) do not constitute either trademark infringement or dilution.
October 7th, 2007, 10:53 PM
