You know those kinds of people that have nothing better to do with their time, so they have to pick on others to justify their existence? Laywers come to mind. Especially corporate lawyers.
I am a little late to the story about our friend, Jennifer Laycock of Search Engine Guide, her blog The Lactivist and the bully National Pork Board, but hey I’ve got a business too ya know? Regardless, I just had to write something up before the Super Proposal, I mean Super Bowl weekend was in full effect as this is the epitome of lameness.
I’m not completely unsympathetic to trademark holders and the need to protect them as we’re going through the final stages of our own trademark process. I do understand that there is a certain obligation to defend your trademark or you lose it.
But this is quite different.
Jennifer has a site called The Lactivist from which she has some silly shirts for sale. One of which says, “the other white milk.” Apparently this is to be construed as a violation of the Pork industry’s slogan, “the other white meat”. Apparently the NPB has no sense of humor and no insight into things like “fair use” (tip Jason Lee Miller).
There’s lots of interesting commentary on this within the blogosphere already and I have a feeling it’s just going to mushroom, so all I have to say is, “Back Off National Pork Board“. However, if you’d like to do something constructive about this situation, please drop a note to the NPB here.
Update: Apparently the NPB has backed off to some degree and Jenn is talking with them on a mutual resolution.