WhiteLightning
This is WhiteLightning!
F@*K Altdais!!!
Altadis has officially brought a lawsuit to Tatuaje...
- Thread starter cc jefe
- Start date
Ditto.....
AlohaStyle
BoM Sept '12 & Aug '13
Thanks, you'll be receiving your lawsuit in the mail tomorrow... :sadstare:
If I could NOT buy their cigars any more than I already did... I would do it.
As it stands, that isn't possible.
As it stands, that isn't possible.
I will not buy any of Altadis Cigars at all. I have an Altadis rep coming to my local B&M friday and I intend to let him know my feelings. As for now please go to http://www.altadisusa.com/contact.asp and let Altadis know how you feel.
Crypto Sailor
Loose Lips Sink Ships
As I was told that symbol is only trademarked in the cigar world...so the saints, boyscout etc can't trademark it...
So when are the French filing a law suit against Altadis for using a symbol once associated with their monarchy? even better when is Quebec taking Altadis to court for using a symbol that appears on their flag?
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
That'd be neat! :rofl:
From a personal standpoint I agree with the idea that Altadis is probably trying to hurt Tatuaje simply by making them spend money to defend themselves. However, from a legal standpoint I think Altadis actually may have a case. The brand Montecristo (currently owned by Altadis) has been around since 1935. I'm not sure that they've used the fluer de lis for their entire history or not, but since the name of the brand was taken from a French novel I imagine that they would have chosen the symbol early on. As far as affecting sales, someone who knows cigars is not going to confuse the two, but if you were someone who had never smoked a cigar before and were given a Montecristo, and loved it, it is possible that you might go to the B&M looking for a cigar with a fluer de lis on the band. Thus you might buy a Tatuaje when you were really looking for a Montecristo. Not sure what burden of proof is required in cases like this, but I don't think that is too far fetched of a scenario. Tat's are still great cigars, and people will still buy them regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit. It is sad that Altadis is moving the industry that we all love away from brotherhood and shared experience to corporate bullshit.
I honestly don't think it has anything to do with competition. It's simple trademark patent defense. Altadis is spending lots of money trying to get back Cohiba label from General. This is more of an obvious infringement, but in trademark defense, you don't pick on only the big ones. You have to get them all.
Look at Fuente, how many people have they sued over the Opus logo or name? Espinosa y Ortega had to give up the Series X cigar for that very reason. Was it because they were afraid of EO's product? No. It's trademark defense. What about when Fuente sued Gurkha over the sampler tin, because it resembled the Opus tin. Was it because Fuente was afraid of competition from Gurkha? I could barely type it that was so funny.
That's all this is. You have to go after everyone you believe is benefiting off of your brand and trademarks. From Altadis' point-of-view, I could see why they did this (even though I agree it is a bit of a stretch).
So this has nothing to do with Altadis being afraid that Pete's going to take over the industry, it's that to the untrained eye, the color of the band and fleur-de-lis DOES generally resemble that of a Montecristo.
Look at Fuente, how many people have they sued over the Opus logo or name? Espinosa y Ortega had to give up the Series X cigar for that very reason. Was it because they were afraid of EO's product? No. It's trademark defense. What about when Fuente sued Gurkha over the sampler tin, because it resembled the Opus tin. Was it because Fuente was afraid of competition from Gurkha? I could barely type it that was so funny.
That's all this is. You have to go after everyone you believe is benefiting off of your brand and trademarks. From Altadis' point-of-view, I could see why they did this (even though I agree it is a bit of a stretch).
So this has nothing to do with Altadis being afraid that Pete's going to take over the industry, it's that to the untrained eye, the color of the band and fleur-de-lis DOES generally resemble that of a Montecristo.
I think Pete could drop the FDL and still do fine. I read why he used the FDL but never understood what it added to his branding. I'm sure he could simply use the Tatuaje type and still come out on top. He has a solid customer base in an industry where word of mouth is everything.
unfortunately Altadis already owns 51%:barf: i believe of the company that regulates those embargoed sticks
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
You don't know who Altadis is, do you?
funkejj
BoM December 09
yes I do they are the company that manufacturers montes cohiba's. I was under the understanding that the Cuban versions of those were state owned. I did not realize that Altadis had a partnership with the cuban government. So My bad.
Those names are actually in Altadis for another reason. When Castro got to the presidential palace, many of the cigar manufacturing families left; taking their cigars with them. And when the embargo is lifted, Habanos S.A. might have to change several things...