Dumb (or not so dumb) Starbucks
February 10, 2014
1 Comment
This is going to be interesting…
This weekend, in LA there appeared a bright star in the sky, ok – it was a dumb star.. actually a Dumb Starbucks. Using the famous chains logo, menu and other identical branding – but adding the word “dumb”. The owners insist that it’s all completely legal – because of Parady Laws. They declare that this is ‘work of parody art’ and are therefore entitled under the Fair Use Doctrine. In fact they published a letter explaining this, and that the dumb coffee is really an art piece
The creative part of me that loves things being “clever” is smiling. The business side of me is aghast and waiting to see what happens. I equally love and loathe the chain. I worry that all this is going to do is cost everyone a lot of money and court time, I rejoice that creativity and daring are alive and well.
What do you think? Dumb Starbucks or very clever?
(via both The Daily Mail and Design Taxi – that alone shows my mixed feelings)
UPDATE: Creativity wins – It looks like “Dumb Starbucks” is a set for a Comedy Central show – Nathan for you. Read more here.
Craig
February 10, 2014 at 11:23 amIt strikes me that this is nothing like close to being within the spirit of the law they claim to be sheltering under.
In accademia, copying verbatim is called plagiarism and considered to be bad form. In nature, bacteria or viruses that copy dna inside the host, typically kills off the host or is annihilated by something stronger that the body sends along. Business IMO is part of the greater ecosystem of nature and so is subject to nature’s rules.
It strikes me that if these folks had put their equity into something original, they may not have gained so much free publicity, but at least any free publicity they had gained (through working with someone clever like you), they would be able to keep further down the road.
IMO they will lose the lot, plus probably damage their own credibility for the next project.
But what do I know…..