I was wondering if someone could help me out. A friend sent me a picture of a copper horse that he has to use on site. While we were working on it, someone noticed that except for being copper it looks exactly like the mustang on a Ford.
Does anyone know for sure whether Ford has the actually horse image copyrighted??
Ive tried phoning Ford but Im getting passed from person to person so far with no clear answer.
Well Im not necessarily sure that is true. If it is, they haven't done a very good job of policing the image. As you can find it everywhere all over the internet including in the logo of this forum.
It can be difficult to copyright an image, escpecially one that isnt especially distinct. A running horse is something that is so common that it may be something they just have not bothered to copyright.
Mustang, and the running horse logo are registered trademarks of FoMoCo. They do seem to be very liberal with its usage, but if you tried to sell a motor vehicle with that image I'm sure it would be a very different story. Don't you remember how hard they fought Dodge over the Viper rip off of the Cobra name and logo? But you can buy Cobra emblems and logos all day long from magazine ads and the net and they don't seem to get to upset.
Yes there is a copyright. They are not very strict as most of the usage promotes and advertises there product and makes them money. On the mach I registry we tried to get a company to manufacture a rear bumper cover with the word MACH on the back. No one would touch it unless Ford gave permission (when someone starts making money off of something Ford can get a little stricter) Ford said no go. They also own the logo Mach and Mach I. When ford produced the Bullitt Mustang they had to pay McQueen’s family and another company rights to use the Bullitt name. Same thing as why the new Ford GT is not called the GT500 which is owned by some smuck over in Europe and was asking too much to buy it back. And also the same reason why the Shelby “Eleonore” is now the Shelby GT500E.
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So , let me get this straight…..your Honda has 1.6 liters, whereas my bottle of Mountain Dew has 2?
Change…..it’s what is left after taxes.
- Shaken....Not Stirred 2003 Mach I Auto Torch Red - Sold
-1988 Ford Mustang GT Convertible, 331 Trick Flow Stroker with a Tremec 3550....oh yea and a 1.6 liter V-TECH motor to work the convertible top.
- 1966 Inline 6……..the pile of parts car!
One thing that bugs me though is that china and japan make parts with the ford logo and chevy bowties and get away with it somehow , but an american company has to have the rights . anyone know why that is ?
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Never argue with an idiot. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience...
One thing that bugs me though is that china and japan make parts with the ford logo and chevy bowties and get away with it somehow , but an american company has to have the rights . anyone know why that is ?
Don't know about Japan, but China doesn't feel the need to honor U.S. trademarks, copyrights, or patents. This in my opinion is the right of a sovereign nation. It is also the right of a sovereign nation to place trade embargoes on those who do not honor their own trade practices, which the U.S. government seems to forget. All the government does is confiscate bogus materials at point of entry, which I'm guessing amounts to less than 1% of what is shipped.
Intellectual Property Rights (and the Copyrights and Patents they include) are suppossed to be protected by international agreements - said agreements having been signed my most nations, including Red China.
Like most such agreements, they're only worth as much as the governments are willing to put into policing them. You can pass as many laws about illegal immigration as you want, but if you don't enforce them (think: Mexico/US border) they are so much wasted scap paper. The same thing applies to the grotesque trade in stolen copyrighted and patented items by the slave factories of China. These abuses will stop only when the US government starts enforcing our trade agreements and laws.
Don't take this as a slap at the Bush administration - no US government has ever done any better (or lamentably, any worse). The Emperor has no clothes, and a REALLY ugly butt.
tripleblack
Quote:
Originally Posted by Saleen Owner
Don't know about Japan, but China doesn't feel the need to honor U.S. trademarks, copyrights, or patents. This in my opinion is the right of a sovereign nation. It is also the right of a sovereign nation to place trade embargoes on those who do not honor their own trade practices, which the U.S. government seems to forget. All the government does is confiscate bogus materials at point of entry, which I'm guessing amounts to less than 1% of what is shipped.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
These are considered counterfeit merchandise and should be confiscated.
Many manufacturers overseas buy the old molds to produce our aftermarket parts(many of those molds are worn out which is why the poor fit and finish of the product), its not hard to then get permission to reproduce the pony logo to sell also when you already dealing in ford parts. But I sure this cover everything…….
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So , let me get this straight…..your Honda has 1.6 liters, whereas my bottle of Mountain Dew has 2?
Change…..it’s what is left after taxes.
- Shaken....Not Stirred 2003 Mach I Auto Torch Red - Sold
-1988 Ford Mustang GT Convertible, 331 Trick Flow Stroker with a Tremec 3550....oh yea and a 1.6 liter V-TECH motor to work the convertible top.
- 1966 Inline 6……..the pile of parts car!
Don't forget when you buy these knock-offs, you suffer more than poor fit and quality. Eventually, it will come around and bite you. Sales & profits to overseas companies does nothing but cost Americans their jobs. Save your cash by buying imports, loose your job. Spend your dough in America, save a US citizen's job.
Most infringements on copywritten material (which is prolific) goes unpunished due to the amount of cost associated with the enforcement efforts verses the amount the thief stands to gain in return. You and I may steal an image for personal use - gaining us nothing. Ford turns their collective head to that, and gains some well deserved p/r and advertising. However, when the Chinese and others(including the American importers) make their living stealing - - we all lose. These guys should have to watch as their crap is confiscated and destroyed.
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daughter owns '00 GT, bone stock, black on black, rag top
The Stampeders logo is very similar but there are differences, slightly in the legs and tail, plus its running the wrong way. You cant draw a picture of a horse and then copyright it and say one else can draw a horse of well sue you (ok in America you could but you wouldn’t win) There are some close similarities so their could cause problems.
I remember reading someone in the 90’s researched and found out no one held a paten on the wheel. He patented the wheel as a joke, he will never make money off of it but I bet it’s a great conversion peace.
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So , let me get this straight…..your Honda has 1.6 liters, whereas my bottle of Mountain Dew has 2?
Change…..it’s what is left after taxes.
- Shaken....Not Stirred 2003 Mach I Auto Torch Red - Sold
-1988 Ford Mustang GT Convertible, 331 Trick Flow Stroker with a Tremec 3550....oh yea and a 1.6 liter V-TECH motor to work the convertible top.
- 1966 Inline 6……..the pile of parts car!
Copyright of Ford Mustang Logo 
