Disney Trademarks Seal Team 6 Two Days After SEAL Team 6 Kills Bin Laden
from the you-have-to-be-kidding-me dept
Disney has a reputation of taking material from elsewhere and making it its own, but this is quite bizarre. Apparently two days after the Navy SEALs Team 6 was responsible for killing Osama bin Laden, Disney applied for a trademark on Seal Team 6 to cover clothing, toys, games, video games, and entertainment and education services, among a few other areas as well. Now, it is true that Disney has been working on a movie about seals, but the timing still seems pretty suspicious. I wonder if the Navy SEALs themselves will file a protest. I would imagine that you generally don’t want to be on the other side of a dispute with Navy SEALs. But isn’t trademark law great? It lets you claim “ownership” over a term closely related to big national events despite having nothing to do with them whatsoever. Still, Disney’s move here isn’t even quite as bad as gun maker Beretta, who not only patted itself on the back for the killing of bin Laden, it apparently missed out on the fact that the SEALs apparently use Sig Sauers instead of Berettas.
Filed Under: seal team six, trademark
Companies: disney
Comments on “Disney Trademarks Seal Team 6 Two Days After SEAL Team 6 Kills Bin Laden”
Did you not get the memo?
Announcing Disney’s latest animated feature: Alladin 2 – The Reckoning.
We’ll be taken on a musical romp through Alladin’s rule over Pakistan’s tribal reasons until Genie gives him up to Seal Team 6 and Buzz Lightyear puts a bullet in his face.
….Rated G.
And this one really WILL have subliminal messages placed in the background, but it won’t be telling good teenagers to take their clothes off. Rather, it’ll be an oddly toned reading of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Disney is weird….
Re: Did you not get the memo?
*regions….
Re: Did you not get the memo?
Maybe they need it for Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Osama’s Revenge.
Re: Re: Did you not get the memo?
Well it is possible to ressurect people in the Pirates of the Caribbean fiction…
Of course there will plenty of jokes over the fact that Osama was a desert based terriorst but now has to come to terms with being a water based terrorist.
Re: Did you not get the memo?
They already made two sequels to the Aladdin movie.
1994 – The Return of Jafar
1996 – Aladdin and the King of Thieves
None of them are “Aladdin 2” in name, though.
/weird aside
Re: Re: Did you not get the memo?
Technically, in the EU, The Return of Jafar had the “Aladdin 2: ~” prefix.
Re: Did you not get the memo?
Umm… the Elders of Zion thing would probably be enough to get Mr. Disney to rise from his grave like a zombie and kill everyone.
Well, there goes Counter-Strike.
New Disney Movie
I’m really looking forward to this new Disney movie. The events in Pakistan reproduced in stunning 3D animation… with actual seals as Seals Team 6. Though sadly I’d expect the musical numbers to be a little out of tune.
ICE is just a division of Disney, why not the Seals as well?
Re: Re:
Maybe SEAL Team 6 will become the IP Enforcement arm of Disney.
SEAL Team Six
Wonder if the author of the book “SEAL Team Six” Howard E. Wasdin can sue Disney. His book was published May 2011.
Re: SEAL Team Six
Not really. Trademarks are only to be used in commerce. If Disney were to release a book called Seals Team 6, then yes, they’d have a problem, but as it stands, they’ll be free to produce other material.
Re: Re: SEAL Team Six
You don’t seem to have a good grasp of trademark law. A trademark gives you the right for use in all markets for all times. Just ask Monster Cable, they will tell you.
/sarcasm
Re: SEAL Team Six
Disney will probably sue the author. Nothing must get in the way of the Disney juggernaut.
From the makers of G-Force.....
From the studio that brought you “G-Force” and “Air Bud 12: Death from Above” comes…
_Seal Team 6_
They were just six happy-go-lucky sea lions with a talent for mischief, but when their country needed them, they answered the call.
featuring the voices of
Kiefer Sutherland as Sgt. Barky
Samuel L Jackson as Lt. Snappy
Angelina Jolie as Lt. Splashy
Ernest Borgnine as Lt. Grumpy
and Jack Black as Private Slappy
Coming to theaters Christmas 2011.
Re: From the makers of G-Force.....
I prefer to have Sam Jackson as the SEALs dolphin water-mines specialist.
“Sonar, motha fucka, do you SPEAK it!!???”
Re: From the makers of G-Force.....
Make CCH Pounder, Nicholas Cage, Helen Mirren, and Vin Disel the villains and I’ll watch it.
Re: Re: From the makers of G-Force.....
Only if Helen Mirren plays Osama.
Re: Re: Re: From the makers of G-Force.....
No way. He’d be an acting rookie, but the only person in the world who should play OBL is Scottie Pippen….
Re: Re: Re:2 From the makers of G-Force.....
hahaha agreed@Scottie Pippen
I wonder how long it will take for you clowns to download it for free?
Re: Re:
I already have it before the editing….
Re: Re:
that depends on the speed offered by the individual providers and any limitations on monthly bandwidth.
But since your talking about a nonexistent film, poof already done. Imagination… its awesome… you should get some 🙂
Re: Re:
Clowns? That’s odd, I’m not wearing a clown costume nor have I ever been a clown, except maybe back when I was in school…
As for downloading it for free, who knows? Maybe Disney will release it deliberately for free, as a sort of documentary (well, one can always hope, right?)
Re: Re:
I already have a copy.
Re: Re:
In the same amount of time that it takes to have Disney sue for drawing a seal with a huge 6 on it.
Re: Re:
I made it. Unfortunately, it’s stored on Sony’s old login servers…
Re: Re:
Do a google image search and the first 357 frames are already up, it’s a bitch downloading frame by frame, but I should have it all by in just a few minutes.
Re: Re: Re:
Thats what you get for having to have it in High Def…
bonus points for anyone who gets the reference.
Hmm
I understand private entities using the name, but how can one so claim control over a government entity?
So, am I allowed to:
1) trademark DHS and ICE “for use in file-sharing sites”?
2) use that trademark to take down the pages that ICE puts up when taking down a ‘baaaad’ music review blog?
Re: Hmm
There is no seal team six.
Cue the suing of the Star Trek fansite listed in this news story link, by Disney for "Trademark Infringement", in 3...2...1
http://trekmovie.com/2011/05/06/geman-tv-fail-star-treks-maquis-not-involved-in-bin-laden-mission/
I’m sure the Disney lawyers motto of: “Sue First, Change The Law If You Don’t Win In Court”, will apply in this case.
Disney
Disney has found a way to appropriate the SEAL Team 6 logo for clothing and toys? This is the most openly greedy move I have seen in years! No doubt Disney will claim that this is a way to promote our Armed Forces, etc. But, in reality, it’s a way to line Disney’s pockets! Period, case closed! Oh, and by-the-way Disney, your actions trivialize all the SEAL teams and all the other elite forces in our military!
This is one of those “Day before yesterday” cases where, essentially, no one knew SEAL 6 from God’s house cat yesterday. And now that they have done something which has become front page news everyone wants to identify with them. In essence, steal their “glory”.
If Disney gets their way I can visualize the masses wearing SEAL Team 6 clothing. The problem is, they didn’t earn the right to do so! So many people think by wearing the brand it entitles them to the respect. Well, it doesn’t! Some things in life MUST be earned. Period! I, personally, would like to wear RANGER or SPECIAL FORCES gear. I tried to enlist in ’68 to go into SF. Problem is, I was 4F. So, I DON’T wear anything associated with military service. Not even a simple ARMY t-shirt because I didn’t earn it!
I’ll be writing my representatives about this issue and I hope it is only a rumor. God knows the net has enough of those!
Re: Disney
The scary thing about your argument is that it can also be said by Disney.
“Want to get respect? You can only get it from wearing Seal Team 6 Clothing, this new brand from Disney! Who deserves the right to wear it? Why, only those who pay us!”
Re: Disney
I think its fine. Disney has done great things for the armed forces in the past. Just having a trademark for one thing isnt using it. Two – nullop are you really throwing a fit over the army shirts? Where some would agree many of us dont care. Its a sign of support. The kids in my family all have acu uniforms they play in. Have for years. Relax a little.
Disney does things for adults. It isnt just kids and they do documentries. So long as they are respectful i see no issue.
The is nothing illegal about what Disney is doing, and it does not point to a flaw in trademark law.
Nevertheless, I find it disgusting for any person or company to try and turn a quick buck on the backs of what these men did in the service of our country. They will forever remain anonymous and go about their daily lives as members of the Navy. No Disney parades for them. Just the quiet satisfaction of knowing they did something important.
Re: Re:
its disney… this surprises you…..how exactly?
to be honest, id be more surprised if they DIDNT try to exploit this financially.
Re: The is nothing illegal about what Disney is doing, and it does not point to a flaw in trademark law. Nevertheless ...
… there is, and it does.
Re: Re:
Trademarking, copyrighting, and patenting (as nuclear stockpiles against future litigation):
Seal Team 1-5 & 7 thru infinity
Special Forces Team 1 thru infinity
Green Beret Team 1 thru infinity
Medic Team 1 thru infinity
Army Team 1 thru infinity
Navy Team 1 thru infinity
Air Force Team 1 thru infinity
Marine Team 1 thru infinity
JAFO
Sure it doesn’t make much sense right now…. but just wait until one of them does ‘something big’ I’ll be cashing in on licensing, or litigating the pants off someone….
Is this really what things are coming to?
Last year I trademarked the number ‘6’, so this entire thread is MOOT!
Re: Last year I trademarked the number '6' ...
Too late:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_6:_There_Is_No_Rule_6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_Six_%28The_Prisoner%29
As a side effect on IP law, on future Seal Team 6 missions all team members will be required to be dressed as Donald Duck, Goofy or Micky Mouse.
Timing is everything...
If only they had taken out Osama back in 2009… then Disney could have named the lamp they were selling, “Seal Team Six”, and the Luxo lamp trademark lawsuit would never have happened because everyone knows Disney respects others legal rights (as long as it doesn’t interfere with Disney’s profits).
Disney Sued For Selling The Pixar Lamp… And The Lawsuit Makes Sense
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090911/0410026165.shtml
More Disney trademark violations here:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090911/0410026165.shtml#c501
time to add Disney to the boycott list.
very shady for a company that is supposed to stand for family and children.
PROTEST!
Paramount
Kinda reminds me of when Paramount sued the US Navy years ago because they were selling caps and t-shirts with “USS Enterprise” on them. Paramount didn’t like the Navy competing with their Star Trek products.
If I recall correctly Paramount had its ass soundly kicked in court over that and was told the Navy’s Enterprise pre-dated their spaceship version by a couple hundred years and they should basically just learn to deal with it.
A common-law trademark already exists...
While the U.S. government cannot copyright material they produce, they certainly can hold trademarks. I think the U.S. Navy would have a very strong case to argue that they already hold a common-law trademark on SEAL Team Six.
Disney is one of three looking to TM. And it sounds like they were not the first to file.