Ferrari Mailing List: Re: I'm being sued by Ferrari

[Doug and Terri Anderson (dnt]

Hmmmm, jumping on "name thieves" not uncommon now-a-days.  Of course I doubt that Ferrari is scared stiff of loosing its unique identity as Thermos Bottle, Levi's, Kleenex, and Xerox have. 

 

BUT that said, Porsche marketing did a study back in the 70's and took it to the board room - you can make a lot, no - A LOT of money with your logo and name.  Ergo, out came the Porsche Police in lock step and invaded EVERY nook and cranny of ANY shop touting their name without their permi$$ion.

 

So there was this guy, Grady Clay, in Denver whose shop, RennenHaus, an ex-furniture store with LOTS of glass frontage, was on the East side of Broadway.  Broadway - the 8 lane (?) leaving downtown going south street.  So on the shops all glass front south wall was this 4 foot high internally lit, ex-Porsche dealership outside logo sign.  These popped up when Porsche / VW split up and Porsche teamed up with Audi.  So Grady puts this ever fine sign on the south side of his shop.  Mighty fine sign.  Um um.

 

So one day the Gang of Five from Stuttgart wearing long black leather coats, suits, and boots, came to visit Grady.  You a registered Porsche Dealer?  No.  Vell den, you musht remove dot sign.  Oh?  Hmmm, take a look around - - I sell used very special Porsche's - see the 904's over there and the Beutler-Porsche Coupe over here?  and I also sell very special Porsche memorabilia.  The sign you point out is very special Porsche memorabilia - it is for sale.  Go take a look for your self - and there, on the side of this very large internally neon lit logo is a 3 x 5 card "Very Special Porsche sign that hung outside - - - - -  - Porsche dealership for 15 years.  $25,000.00"  Um, do you want to buy it?  As far as I know - that was the end of it as when I was at RennenHaus in 1978 I saw the sign and the tag.  heh heh

 

Then some clever dude told Ferrari and now Ferrari makes more money selling sweaters and hats than they do cars - I don't have a degree in Italian Modenese accounting and I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn, so I could be wrong, you know.

 

Such is such.

 

Onward

DOUG

 

As an aside, I can NOT believe all those ever fine folk on eBay selling CD's of Ferrari manuals aren't walking the point too.