Mascot News

[Nidaros]

Re: Mascot News

One more time:

Our logo is based on Bugs Bunny. That is a fact. Anyone who knows the actual origins of the current rabbit in the 1970s knows that is true. Take a good look for yourself. It's Bugs Bunny with slightly different teeth (our rabbit has a full mouth of teeth, Bugs just has the big chompers) and smaller feet. It's as if somebody handed an SDSU artist a picture of Bugs and said "change this a little".

Everybody just needs to wrap their minds around the fact that we have a potential copyright problem with the current bunny. And Time Warner has a market capitalization of $55 billion. We can't market our unique mascot the way we want to.

So we're getting a new one. It's not the end of the world. It's just different.

Years ago, maybe 1991 or 92 on a fan bus to North Dakota, Harry Forsyth was among the fans and I recall him talking about this Bugs Bunny problem. I seem to recall he did mention something about Time Warner. So its the right thing to do. We maybe should count our blessings that the Time Warner Legal Department has had a very full plate of issues to work on. I dont think its a rumor. Avoiding law suits is a good idea provided we are not running scared and in this case, I dont think so. Change is always good.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Mascot News

As to the existence of any correspondence from Time Warner or its predecessors, I can't say with any authority. However it would seem foolish to me for that to be part of the consideration. The test for infringement goes something like this, Could a reasonable consumer be confused by the design so as to misattribute the logo. That is simplified quite a bit and I would readily defer to any trademark/copyright/patent attorney. When you look at Bugs Bunny and our current masket, IMO its reasonable for someone to be confused. As we expand our marketing and distribution of SDSU, do we want to have a mascot that is subject to a cease and desist order, and one that we almost certainly would lose? I don't think the type of leadership that has allowed the transition to be as successful as it has would think that is a good idea. I don't want to change, but the need is readily apparent and to ignore that would be foolish.

[filbert]

Re: Mascot News

As to the existence of any correspondence from Time Warner or its predecessors, I can't say with any authority. However it would seem foolish to me for that to be part of the consideration. The test for infringement goes something like this, Could a reasonable consumer be confused by the design so as to misattribute the logo. That is simplified quite a bit and I would readily defer to any trademark/copyright/patent attorney. When you look at Bugs Bunny and our current masket, IMO its reasonable for someone to be confused. As we expand our marketing and distribution of SDSU, do we want to have a mascot that is subject to a cease and desist order, and one that we almost certainly would lose? I don't think the type of leadership that has allowed the transition to be as successful as it has would think that is a good idea. I don't want to change, but the need is readily apparent and to ignore that would be foolish.

Agree. As far as I know, there's been no C&D letter sent. But that doesn't mean that one won't be, at some point. Finding a new logo is a really, really good idea, as hard as it is to achieve.

[Grizzled_Jack]

Re: Mascot News

I guess I'm the only one who remembers the stocky, fanged, vicious rabbit that showed up unofficially on sweatshirts in the late sixties. Kind of like Walrus's avatar but with long ears. If only I was an artist.

[Nidaros]

Re: Mascot News

I guess I'm the only one who remembers the stocky, fanged, vicious rabbit that showed up unofficially on sweatshirts in the late sixties. Kind of like Walrus's avatar but with long ears. If only I was an artist.

Boy I should remember, but I dont. I thought the books cost enough that I never spent much time looking at bookstore clothing and therefore never purchased any logo clothing. It would be an interesting research project to find all the different versions of the rabbit logos used over the years. I suspect you find many that dont look like Bugs and many do.

[Nidaros]

Re: Mascot News

As to the existence of any correspondence from Time Warner or its predecessors, I can't say with any authority. However it would seem foolish to me for that to be part of the consideration. The test for infringement goes something like this, Could a reasonable consumer be confused by the design so as to misattribute the logo. That is simplified quite a bit and I would readily defer to any trademark/copyright/patent attorney. When you look at Bugs Bunny and our current masket, IMO its reasonable for someone to be confused. As we expand our marketing and distribution of SDSU, do we want to have a mascot that is subject to a cease and desist order, and one that we almost certainly would lose? I don't think the type of leadership that has allowed the transition to be as successful as it has would think that is a good idea. I don't want to change, but the need is readily apparent and to ignore that would be foolish.

I think you have summed it up accurately. The fan bus ride years ago and what Harry talked about is so sketchy I dont want to say there was any mention of written correspondence. I do think that various people on campus have thought this to be or might be a problem. I think at this point in time, Time-Warner if they did become interested in our logo usage, would probably leave us alone based on the fact that we are making a definite change and will no longer be using a likeness to their copywrited Bugs Bunny. Has SDSU profitted from usage of Time Warner logo? I think they might have a hard time putting that together, but those large companies have a bunch of number cruchers who probably can do that.

I wonder if adverse possesion that applies to land, would apply to use of a logo? In other words since SDSU used this logo for a number of years and no action was taken by Time Warner, would they now have a problem raising the issue?

If we dig our heels in like UND, yeah you got legal problems.

[rational thought]

Re: Mascot News

To each their own opinion, but mine is "thank God", I have never bought anything with "bugs" on it...But proudly wear the other apparel purchased through out the years. Now maybe i'll buy something with new logo...

[EQguy]

Re: Mascot News

I learned yesterday that there is a press conference planned for Tuesday Feb 19 to announce the new Mascot. There will be gear available for sale at the bookstore tent during the NDSU Men's and Women's BBall games

[JimmyJack]

Re: Mascot News

I'm told by people who have seen the logo, that it's really cool and will exceed everyone's expectations. And these aren't people who might feel obligated to blow smoke my way. They're people whose opinions I trust.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: Mascot News

Oooh....I can't wait! I guess I'll be bring my checkbook to the games that night!

[JimmyJack]

Re: Mascot News

Oooh....I can't wait! I guess I'll be bring my checkbook to the games that night!

Look for caps, flags, t-shirts, and sweatshirts to be available, at a minimum. I'm told the flags are way, way cool.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Mascot News

The new logo will be unveiled one week from today in the Union. I'm still waiting on a time. Anybody who's around should stop by. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Mascot News

I'm pretty sure the press conference is at 10:00am on Tuesday the 19th in front of the Bookstore.

[89rabbit]

Re: Mascot News

The new logo will be unveiled one week from today in the Union. I'm still waiting on a time. Anybody who's around should stop by. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

http://www.statealum.com/s/357/start.aspx

Look under announcements.


Go State!

[sf_jackster]

Re: Mascot News

Soo tomorrow is the big day!