Ford battles for trademark of 'FUN' in Europe
Ford has been in a losing battle for market share here in the States for over a decade, but in Europe the Blue Oval has turned things around. Popular models like the Fiesta and Focus have many Europeans thinking Ford first, and soon Ford can have a monopoly on the word 'FUN', too. Ford has been in a battle with the European Union Trademark office over the word 'FUN' since 2005, and the Detroit-based automaker has been denied exclusive rights to the happy word until yesterday. The European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg overturned an earlier decision against Ford, saying the word FUN is "too vague and subjective to give the word a descriptive character."Unless the EU's highest court overturns this decision, Ford and fun will be exclusively intertwined across the pond. We're wondering what Ford could possibly do with the FUN designation. Will it be a super happy trim level with balloons and clown faces and a goofy-sounding horn? Will the designation stand for improved driving dynamics or increased power? So many possibilities.
[Source: Bloomberg via TTAC]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Avinash machado 10:38AM (12/03/2008)
Considering the troubles Ford is going through right now, FUN is the last thing to describe them. Unless of course one is referring to the fun Mullay will have driving the Escape Hybrid to DC.
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Randy 10:41AM (12/03/2008)
"Will have"
That shows your involvement in the news and this blog.
P.S. It happened two days ago!
Randy 10:39AM (12/03/2008)
I have admiration for Ford but I don't support the word "FUN" to be "exclusive" to any company! It's like saying "best" or "most reliable" or "least expensive".
If they name a car model the "Ford Fun" then so be it! Or maybe "Ford Fiesta Fun" like an edition such as GT etc. Then I'd support it! Not that my support matters on this... LOL
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Brn 2:40PM (12/03/2008)
I gotta agree with Randy. Common usage words and terms shouldn't be brandable on their own.
The next thing you know, some OS company is going to brand the term Window for their particular windowed operating system.
Judy Zik 3:25PM (12/03/2008)
+1
What's next the Toyota Happy or the Horny Honda? The Honda that's happy to see you.
mkM3 10:56AM (12/03/2008)
Probably the center of an advertising campaign and not necessarily attached to the name of a car or trim level.
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monkeykat2 11:02AM (12/03/2008)
Well what about "fit"? Honda did it. Why can't ford? :-)
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Andrew 5:03PM (12/03/2008)
Actually they renamed the car to "Fit" because the original name (Fitta) was slang for female sexual organs in the Scandinavian languages.
We laughed a lot when it was first presented! XD
TJ 11:10AM (12/03/2008)
Acronym guesses?
Forced Union Negotiations
Flat Under Negative
Ford Universal Niche
Future Unemployment Number
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The Luigiian 11:44AM (12/03/2008)
Hahahaha funny but no no, TJ. In Europe, not U.S. I'm sure Ford's got union problems there too but you really can't attack them on it when all the other European brands have the same issues.
I don't really have much to say about "fun", though, that hasn't already been said.
TJ 11:56AM (12/03/2008)
Yeah, I know... that's just the only acronyms I could come up with in a hurry. Feel free to add anything else you can come up with....
Ramiro BA 11:48AM (12/03/2008)
In Argentina GM sell the Suzuki Fun (A rebadged brazilian Chevrolet Celta), so Ford can´t use that name here (Not that they wanted to; I think they want to use it for a special edition, very common in Europe).
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TigerMil 12:15PM (12/03/2008)
Next thing, GM will trademark "Sex"
Oxymoron.
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Spectacular Bid 12:24PM (12/03/2008)
It would seem to me that its never a good idea for a bitter company to ever put F and U together in a public slogan.
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Carlos 12:28PM (12/03/2008)
F is for friends who do stuff together, U is for you and me, N is for anywhere anytime at all down here in the deep blue sea.
-Sponge bob
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Landy 1:34PM (12/03/2008)
In Europe Ford uses "Fun" as a Name for special edition models of the Fiesta and Focus that have a selected options pack on board for a nice price. But maybe there is a new usage for "FUN" with a B-class car that will be build at Craiova Plant in Romania. This car has no name until now...
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