Please Share in Support of Small Business - Blue Caribou Cafe
Yes, this is indeed sad. To me, this "trademark" case is a real stretch. It does seem like big business trying to make money off of a small business. This sends a really bad signal. Read John's post below.
Please Share in Support of Small Business
This is not a real estate related post. It's not mortgage related. It's an "I'm sick and tired of giant corporations having big enough wallets to force small businesses to suffer, whether they're right or wrong" blog. And I want you to share it. Because the more people see it, the more people can react, offer support, and go after the big guy where it counts - their wallet.
Here's a link to the full story, which I'll give the gist of below: http://www.record-eagle.com/news/business/blue-caribou-cafe-owners-are-forced-to-rebrand/article_024d3b82-cf1f-5676-90ab-0243052b49a7.html
Basically, the Caribou coffee company (whose product I regularly purchase and enjoy...or at least, I did) has decided to strap a small business in Michigan with huge legal bills, a cease and desist, and a lawsuit, for having a brand too similar to the coffee company brand. First of all - "Caribou" isn't a word that can be trademarked, it's an animal. Second, here are the logos, you tell me - is there any confusing these (consider the context of a 1 location cafe with 11 Yelp reviews, and whether their brand could even possibly cause "irreperable damages", as the coffee giant contends)
To me, I see 2 completely different logos, with the only thing in common being the word "Caribou". To me, this is a huge corporation saying "we have too much money for you to fight us", and using that preface to harm a small business.
This isn't the first time something like this has happened, and this isn't the last, but I'm sharing this to hopefully help WAKE UP these big companies, by saying I WON'T TOLERATE THIS. As a consumer, we have power, and it's time we show it.
I personally won't be purchasing a single caribou coffee product unless this issue is resolved in favor of the Blue Caribou Cafe. I will also be advising the family & friends that I've introduced to the coffee brand to refrain from spending another dime on their product, regardless of how good it tastes.
Further, I'd ask that you share this, and refrain yourself from making any purchase from Caribou coffee, or their parent brand, JAB Holdings (JAB also owns Peets Coffee, which I previously visited on a regular basis, Keurig Green Mountain, Espresso House, Baresso Coffees, and others )
Please share, both here & on social media, and let's help out a small business that by all indications doesn't deserve to be put in a situation where they need to pay a huge corporation thousands of dollars, or spend thousands of dollars to rebrand. There's no need for it.
The only way to stop these things from happening, is to hit companies like JAB and their ilk where it hurts them, and in a language they understand - that of your money.
Personally, I won't be spending another dime on any of their products, Caribou or the others, unless this gets resolved. THAT will be irreperable harm, and I hope enough people join me to the point where it hurts.
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