Been a long time coming to write another blog, Reasons? Only one, busy? busy in my day job then busy doing the nightshift! lol
For those who are visiting the site and are maybe not aware of what we're trying to achieve here at musicbrick.com, here's a little bit of background information...
musicbrick.com has been live for over nine months. musicbrick.com is a platform for music, but more specifically songs that trigger memories. We're hoping to create an arena that showcases the depth and diversity of the music around us, but more importantly what it means on a personal level. Each song and connected experience form one music brick. The goal is to build the tallest structure in the world with the accumulating music bricks.
On to something a little more serious, I decided to apply for a trademark for musicbrick, used all the correct channels; patent office etc.
Everything going great until I received an email today from a law firm in the United States, Fish & Richardson PC, as it turns out one of the biggest law firms in America that deal with trademarks and litigation, they?ve just won $18,000,000 for Deep Nines Technologies and convinced a judge to set aside 1.5 billion dollars against Microsoft, this being the biggest patent case ever? Oh what Joy!!!
With offices in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Dalls, Delaware, New York, San Diego, Silicon Valley, Twin Cities, Washington DC. Then Marvelous!!!
Acting on behalf of a multi million pound American company called Coupon Inc. The reason? Because they hold trademarks for BRICKS, ADBRICKS, WEBBRICKS, AND ONEBRICKS and their business?. 'Coupons, Inc.'s core couponing, customer acquisition, and e-mail marketing services provide clients with creation, distribution, tracking, and reporting of consumer-printed coupons that can be used for traditional in-store redemption.'
Will someone please tell me what musicbrick.com has to do with any of that? And why or how musicbrick.com impacts on their business?
Bear in mind there are already over 230 trademarks with ‘brick’ or ‘bricks’ in the name here's few examples, pearls like; magicbrick, thinkbrick and betterbrick, these would make nice coupon promotions, but musicbrick.. No!
And there are websites existing today; webbricks.com, adbricks.com, onebrick.com that have no connection to Coupon Inc.
The trade marking company I used has just informed me the next stage is to reply to their letter which by the time it's resourced and sent will see off the best part of £600? for one letter? I'm just a painter and decorator for christ?s sake it takes me nearly two weeks to earn that. A guy who followed a desire to create something unique and special around my love of music.
They've given me until the 29th of August to reply and until the 9 September to withdraw my trademark application and kindly given me six months grace to change the name of musicbrick.com or they are going to
'could include pursuing your present use of trademark MUSICBRICK on the internet and the above mentioned domains as well as seeking damages and costs?' Give it up for big business Whoopedee Doo!!!
Give up all brick related websites? I have musicbrick.co.uk, musicbricks.com and musicbricks.co.uk and that was just to stop domain piracy or kidnapping..
So I've created a musicbrick http://musicbrick.com/ViewBrick.aspx?BrickID=76886 for all the dreamers, the achievers, the doers, the people who never tire of trying, who strive to accomplish. This is to the people who sacrifice part of their lives and their family's lives in the hope of a dream. To the bands and artists who push themselves to the limit, to achieve something, anything, a piece of recognition, a write up in a magazine or local newspaper. To all the people who want to do something unique!
Below is the entire letter I received, donations or coupons above £50,000.00 will be greatly received. Lol.
Musicbrick.com is nearly 4 stories high and growing daily, it?s been a fantastic journey up to now. We've re-mortgaged the house and are in the middle of a re-design for musicbrick.com. The son of musicbrick.com will be multi layered with the emphasis on being more fun, more enjoyable to use and more interactive.
But seriously, does anyone have experience with this? waiting and counting my coupons until 'D' day.
Martin
