Use of "May the Fourth be with You"
- September 13, 2016 @ 12:56pmProgramLibrarian says:
In an abundance of caution, we just wanted to check if anyone thinks that there would be an issue with using "May the Fourth be with You" in promoting a library-related event scheduled for May 4, 2017. The typeface would be somewhat similar to the Star Wars typeface, but definitely not an exact duplication.
Any opinions, or advice?
- September 13, 2016 @ 2:06pmCarrie says:
Go for it. I imagine that the phrase "may the force be with you" is protected by trademark. But no one would be confused by your use of a slight variation. No one will think that you are the Star Wars franchise.
-Carrie
- September 13, 2016 @ 2:30pmckristof@kent.edu says:
I just searched it at http://tsdr.uspto.gov/. The phrase "May the Fourth Be With You" is protected by trademark by LucasFilm for use in toys and for "Fan club services; entertainment services, namely, live performances by personalities portraying fictional characters; entertainment services, namely, providing educational speakers to discuss fictional characters and entertainment."
It's this last one that gets to me...I don't know if library events would be prohibited by that. I just don't know enough about fair use in trademarks as opposed to copyright, though I know it does exist.
LucasFilm's applications for use in tshirts is still under examination. I don't know enough about the database to know what the status is for their request for use for stickers. So yes, they seem to want control of it.
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