South African airline Kulula has been forced to pull
an advert after receiving a lawyer's letter from FIFA
stating that the company had used various FIFA-trademarked
elements related to the World Cup, including the South
African flag, soccer balls and the vuvuzela.
The Kulula advert read, "Unofficial
carrier of the you-know-what" and featured soccer-related
drawings, including a soccer player, stadium, soccer balls
and the South African flag.
Intellectual property to me means something
that the owner created using his intellect.
Even a trademark is created through a creative process.
In other words, anything that was created by man through
his creative and original ability and process, becomes
the property of the creator, and that right is protected
by. Law.
Fifa did not create soccer balls, vuvuzelas
or the South African flag.
This is a perfect illustration of how
the capitalist system supports their own, by ensuring
that no one capitalises on anything that they own.
At least not unless they themselves get a hefty share
of the profits.
Maybe I am missing something here. If
I am, could someone please explain it to me.
I am disappointed that Kulula has chosen
to pull the ad without putting up a fight.
The pic is rather small, but in the ad, in typical Kulula
fashion, they proclaim that they are ‘…officially
the unofficial supporter of supporters and not-really-supporter-yet-but-really-need-to-fly-people-of
Mzanzi, Ayebo!’
Anyone
can see that the prices advertised for their flights
does not leave room for major kick-backs to FIFA.
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