Suing Mermaids Makes the News?

[AniaR]

In my search for news roundup for mermaid monday I came across this article that seems a bit intense. Mermaids fighting over a name...

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/clash-of-the-bondi-mermaids/news-story/8cd83f908e5c48549f5f124975ec93e2

[Mermaid Summerlilly]

Ouch. Seems harsh. I mean, I get it, but I don't see why they couldn't be more friendly about all this. I would just ask first instead of taking legal action right away.

[AniaR]

yeah and I dont think you can temporarily hold a trademark for 20 years. Something seems a bit off about it.

[Merman Storm]

From the article, I don't think she was holding a trademark at all. Its just this: "Lizmania has consulted lawyers, saying she has answered to the name The Bondi Mermaid for so long she owns the unregistered trademark." And: "if Lizmania “can prove the other mermaid is misleading the public and trading off her reputation, she has a claim."

Somehow, a bit of arbitration seems to be in order. Try and clear the entire thing up in a friendly manner.

[AniaR]

the whole article makes mermaids look stupid and petty. Why go to the news with this you know?

[PearlieMae]

She seems to think that by calling herself that, she's created an 'easement' of sorts. She might be known as The Bondi Mermaid, but if she didn't register it, she is outta luck. If the other mermaid was trying to claim she was HER (the "original Bondi Mermaid"), then there might be a case against her, but otherwise - technically - she doesn't have a fin to stand on. It's a whole different matter from a PR standpoint, though.



the whole article makes mermaids look stupid and petty. Why go to the news with this you know?

Perhaps she thought she would get some backing/support from readers. Sounds pretty reactionary to me. She doesn't say she's HIRED a legal team, she's just looking into it.

I wonder if she reports her income from being The Bondi Mermaid? Not sure how income tax works in Australia.

[Mer-Crazy]

Aussie jumping in here to clarify real quick:

First off I would like to say that it is Australia and not a whole lot of really news worthy stuff happens here.

Secondly this particular 'newspaper' isn't the greatest, more known for tabloid stories and crappy journalism.

Thirdly; this particular lady is not a professional, she's just some lady who dresses up in a tail on the beach and goes my the mersona of the Bondi mermaid, really she's probably most known for her campaign to try and have two mermaid statues that used to be there reinstated. From what I've heard from other mermaids she's not taken seriously, some of them comparing her to a 'crazy lady' and from what I've been told she just doesn't play nice with other mers in general.

[AniaR]

ah that explains it.

[malinghi]

from what I've been told she just doesn't play nice with other mers in general.

Yeah, the stuff she said to the paper makes her sound really haughty. Especially the part where she said, "Well, my scales will always shine brighter than hers."

[MermaidLiara]

@Mer-crazy: Hehe that explains a lot!


Too bad she's giving us mers a bad name...

[Merenneito Nerissa]

Actually one can hold an unregistered trademark for 20 years, if no one hasn't came up with a same one. It's possibly to own unregistered trademark, if a person or a company clearly is known from it and it's clear that people recognise the company/person from a trademark, and that actually is only way how unregistered trademark is born. Trademarks can actually exist forever, after they have been registered (one just needs to renew it every 10 years). Unregistered ones doesn't need registeration (weel duh XD) I just had a course of legal actions in university, and we discussed of trademarks pretty specificly. Sorry for my "crabby" english... :P I hope you still understand what I try to say.

However in this case I'm pretty sure her unregistered trademark won't go through, as it is said by Mer-Crazy, this woman clearly just has been calling herself with this name and it doesn't justify to unregistered trademark if it is known only by a small community, it usually should be known at least nationwide.

[Sea~Phoenix Savannah]

Yeah, the stuff she said to the paper makes her sound really haughty. Especially the part where she said, "Well, my scales will always shine brighter than hers."

I know right! It just comes off so hateful and rude.