Environmental group sues Honda for "Save The Earth" trademark infringement

All Honda wanted to do was save the Earth, one gallon of gasoline at a time. It turns out, though, that in the act of saving said Earth, the Japanese automaker stepped on a few toes – namely, those of Save the Earth Enterprises, an environmental group based in the United States.

See where this is going? That's right, Save the Earth Enterprises, which trademarked the slogan 'Save the Earth' way back in 1972, has sued Honda and its advertising agency, Rubin Postaer & Co., for infringement. The lawsuit seeks to recover Honda's profits from a recent ad campaign for the Civic and to stop future use by Honda of the Save the Earth trademark.

"The Honda ad campaign confused people into thinking that we endorsed Honda or were affiliated with Honda. We aren't affiliated with them and don't endorse them," said Neal Pargman of Save the Earth Foundation in a statement you'll find after the jump. The statement adds that Honda ignored cease-and-desist letters from the foundation. Perhaps they were too busy... saving the earth? Check out the official press release after the jump for the details.

[Source: Save the Earth Foundation]

PRESS RELEASE:

Environmental Group Sues Honda, Ad Agency for Trademark Violation

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental group Save the Earth Enterprises, Wednesday sued American Honda Motor Co. and its advertising agency, Rubin Postaer & Co., for using its "Save the Earth" trademark without permission in Honda's recent advertising campaign for the Honda Civic.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, seeks to recover Honda's profits from the ad campaign and to stop future use by Honda of the Save the Earth trademark.

"The Honda ad campaign confused people into thinking that we endorsed Honda or were affiliated with Honda. We aren't affiliated with them and don't endorse them," said Save the Earth Foundation Neal Pargman.

Pargman noted that he has been selling merchandise bearing the Save the Earth trademark since 1972 and holds a U.S.-registered trademark. Honda's commercial, showing several uses of Save the Earth trademark, used the Foundation's trademark without permission, and ignored cease-and-desist letters from the Foundation.