Thanks for letting us know Ken. Keep up the good work!


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I'm curious as to why they would leave some of the items still available in the store that contain the little bowtie. :dontknow: Seems like they would have removed all of our items, if that was the case. Does this have to do with something that happened 3 to 6-years ago or something??? :roll:

 

This, in a few words, is horse apples! It took the copyright nazis 9 years to tell us this??!

 

RushGator
Glenn, The agent for this strong arm tactic is likely to be automation.

This seems like it could be the effect of a computer program that may have been added to their process to help protect intellectual property. If we think about it, advanced facial recognition software is already available. So the implementation of software that scans a product image looking for things in list below could have been implemented at Zazzle. If automated, it could be part of the reason Zazzle was not able to quickly identify the reason for rejection. Additionally, the staggered rejections could have been caused by the artwork (particular calendar or other NECOA product) being run the automation scan only once it was ordered.

Example list of things a program like this might check.
* Registration Trademark - R within circle
* Trademark symbol - TM (with and without a circle
* Copyright symbol - Letter C within a circle
* Copyright - The letters to spell copyright
* There could also be a table (from 1 to tens thousands) of trademarked images, like the Chevrolet bowtie, Golden Arches, FORD in a blue oval, a running Mustang with the vertical bar, etc

 

Makes sense!

Good explanation! :bigups: Gotta love technology...Right? :inlove: Well most of the time! :banghead:

 

Good explanation! :bigups: Gotta love technology...Right? :inlove: Well most of the time! :banghead:

So . . . no more pictures in front of a McDonalds? I highly doubt anyone took a shot featuring a FORD LOGO!:smile3:

 

Best explication I have heard about it.


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As it Stands...............

Thanks for the support, my friends. I just posted the following in response to a disqualification message, one of 88 so far, that I just received:

I am in the process of removing the caricature of the Chevrolet “Bowtie” symbol - that we have incorporated in our Association logo for the past 16 years without issue - from my NECOA2011 store. However, you have mentioned the ”…text referencing the Chevrolet El Camino”. Sir – Our Association is the National El Camino Owners Association, or NECOA. It’s very difficult to market our Association’s merchandise without using our name. That’s no different than a Corvette club, or Model A club. Just a brief search of the Zazzle marketplace finds thousands of T-Shirts with “Corvette”, “Stingray”, Chevelle”, Impala”, and other names of Chevrolet products. Why would my Association’s use of El Camino, in our NAME, be treated different than all the thousands of others? I must strenuously object to this action! Please clarify as soon as possible so that I have assurance of not losing 8 years’ worth of effort building this store to serve the needs of my Association……………………..Ken Rogers.


Messages received from Zazzle:

Hello Ken,​

Thank you for contacting us!​

Unfortunately, Zazzle is not licensed to sell or produce unauthorized merchandise of Chevrolet. In this instance, your products contain an image referencing the Chevrolet logo and text referencing the Chevrolet El Camino

Hello Ken,​

Thank you for contacting us!​

Unfortunately, Zazzle is not licensed to sell or produce unauthorized merchandise of Chevrolet. This includes the Chevy logo and the name of their car models.


Zazzle is an open marketplace where users can freely contribute their designs. While significant effort is made to ensure that our content guidelines are followed by all Zazzlers, occasionally some content may appear in our Marketplace in violation of our User Agreement and in violation of their rights. If you feel that any designs do not meet our guidelines, you can easily bring them to our attention by using the “Report Violation” link located beneath the Product ID number on every Zazzle product page.

 

May have to find a new store for the organization. If this is an inflexible policy it will likely effect other “corvette”,”Chevelle” etc. clubs. I wonder if recent copyright laws have soured these new developments.


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May have to find a new store for the organization. If this is an inflexible policy it will likely effect other “corvette”,”Chevelle” etc. clubs. I wonder if recent copyright laws have soured these new developments.


I second that suggestion.

 

Sorry to here you are having these complications.

I'd be willing to bet Old Bear struck the nail on the head.

(I personally think it was his cats idea but they dont have thumbs to type with so Gale had to do it):rockon:

If this is biting us then it will get all the other clubs also.

 

"Land of the free"
HUMMM :hail2:​

 

Zazzle needs to ask GM if they have a problem. I doubt they do; it’s good press and free advertising for the Chevrolet brand. If Zazzle can’t get its ducks in a row, we should make them aware of the inconvenience and the revenue they’re going to lose. (I’ve used them for mugs and other items based upon their service to us-that will stop.) Ken, sorry you’re having this trouble. Thanks and good luck!
Patrick

 

I'm sure what happened they got caught producing someones registered whatever and now they have to check everything they offer that's illegal get it off the store web site before their cleared by the Trademark Assoc.

Sorry Ken it had to happen at calendar time you always produce the best stuff for the club and all the hours you put in for us also.

There's always someone else out there that will print them but it's just how long till they get caught. First offense is usually a slap on the hand and told to clean it up so their in damage control to save their company. Believe me their loosing a lot of revenue during this time.

All you will get out of Zazzle at this time is what their lawyers advise them to tell the customers and nothing else. It's a legal statement why our stuff was rejected not a human response..

​

 

I'd say Zazzle could kiss our leaky oil pans and find a new store but I hate to see all your hard work go up in flames.:snipersmilie:
Donny

 

Fingers crossed, Ken! They should correct this quick since they probably have a lot of peoples money.

 

They were quick to issued a credit on cancellation of my order.
The said it might take a few days to show up.
So, they are likely not sitting on other folks funds for long at all.

 

..don't want to be a bubble burster,but, that the first thing they tell ya in photoshop skool,copy right infringement and using any logo without permission is against the law,just like I had to get permission form you to use N.E.C.O.A. on some projects for the Association ..it sucks,but,its the law..:cry2:

 

I don't have access to the Trademark database.
However Trademarks can be renewed every ten (or less) years. You need to show within 5 years of the renewal, that your business is using the Trademark. I read (on the web, so clearly it is not verified) that El Camino Trademark is in status=expired.

Ken, possibly GM/Chevrolet could verify that for NECOA.
Trademarks are different than copyright. The copyright on created works, art, sculptures (emblems) do not expire at ten years nor need to be renewed. Copyrights exist from creation of the work, even prior to publishing or usage.

 

Ken,
So sorry for all your unrewarded work!
Point of interest; I ordered a calender on the first day they were available.
I got the 50% discount, paid through my paypal account, and got a nice order conformation from Zazzle. Sooo-- I will be anxious to see how they deal with that.
As pointed out earlier their lawyers are probably running things right know.
":whaasup:OURS IS NOT TO WONDER WHY"
Steve

 

After Kens first post i was already flustered and then came along donny's and Glenn's:
I'd say Zazzle could kiss our leaky oil pans…Donny

This, in a few words, is horse apples! It took the copyright nazis 9 years to tell us this??!...Glenn

I can top those 2 but i would be banned from here . So, since i'm driving my tacoma truck with the toyota emblem on it, i'm in copyright violation! and my wife too cause shes driving her mazda and then we stopped at Mcdonalds and had a to go order and the the golden arches was on my big mac box. The nazis started chasing us but we ditcht'em. We were now thristy and stopped in Starbucks, but the nazis saw us and we're on the run again holding that cup with the picture of green mermaid woman with stars above her head. I'm kinda slow but if i bought it(whatever it is), i bought that logo too!. IDK..just ranting1

 

An Update.................

Just so y'all know - I'm not in hiding. I do follow your comments, but I've been sort of busy. I'm doing my best to address the myriad disqualifications, while attempting to appeal their most ridiculous - like the use of the term "El Camino". Meanwhile, I've lost a major portion of the El Camino items in the store that I've built up over the past 8 to 9 years. Not a large problem, but the Association did probably take in a few hundred dollars a year from some of the lost items. My main concern right now is getting the 2019 calendars re-built and posted in form that Zazzle will accept. I'm on my 3rd round of rebuilding right now - I thought I had a handle on what they want a couple of other times, but had to begin again. Looks and sounds like someone out there is filing complaints about the NECOA's store and its products for some reason. We'll get there, though..................Ken

 

Just so y'all know - I'm not in hiding. I do follow your comments, but I've been sort of busy. I'm doing my best to address the myriad disqualifications, while attempting to appeal their most ridiculous - like the use of the term "El Camino". Meanwhile, I've lost a major portion of the El Camino items in the store that I've built up over the past 8 to 9 years. Not a large problem, but the Association did probably take in a few hundred dollars a year from some of the lost items. My main concern right now is getting the 2019 calendars re-built and posted in form that Zazzle will accept. I'm on my 3rd round of rebuilding right now - I thought I had a handle on what they want a couple of other times, but had to begin again. Looks and sounds like someone out there is filing complaints about the NECOA's store and its products for some reason. We'll get there, though..................Ken

Ken ,I'm sorry to hear of all your problems ,I would just go else where .I know about what you said about building the zazzle store and all ,but enough B/S I myself use VISTA print and have never had any problems ..Don

 

"El Camino's"


That's not infringement

 

I signed up with zazzle a couple months ago. They sent me at least one spam email a day promoting their stuff. I finally got around to ordering a NECOA banner but oops, 30% coupon had expired and order was rejected. They never sent me any more offers. They wrote me off, I have written them off.

 

Sorry you're having to do this extra work, Ken. This problem at Zazzle is a bad deal. You're doing the best you can.

 

WOW KEN, Just read all the post and you are a true Leader and I know you will get this worked out. I always say its "One Day At A Time" but I also know its "One Minute At A Time" sometimes. I believe in prayer too. God Bless This Great Nation
Michael in South Boston, Va.

 

WOW, take a few weeks out and all,, pooo falls on our great guy Ken.:hail2: Sorry about that stuff, and it is the truth when someone gripes , it is usually the small guys the takes the fall. Now I worry about all those folks with Tattoos with Chev, Fords Harleys on their bodies? will the crakeys get to them.

I have been a Chevrolet guy for over 50 years, and I will hold our NECOA banner up at every meeting/car show I go to.
Chuck and Ellen in Oregon

 

Bowtie Caricature............

If you take a close look at the "bowtie" caricature we've used in the past as part of our NECOA logo, you may notice that our "bowtie" is grossly misshapen from the original Chevrolet symbol. The lengths and shapes of the protrusions are not the same as the actual one. But, Zazzle won't respond to any appeals.

As for asking Chevrolet for approval to use the bowtie in our logo - we had a dialog a few years back, with Danny Hernandez leading, and it seemed pretty favorable until the talks just stopped. Looks like now we have to ask for permission to use El Camino, Sprint, Caballero, Conquista, Black or Royal Knight, etc. I had to delete all GM related "Key Words" that are included with each Zazzle item - used for searching assistance - because Zazzle said so. If someone would like to take the lead in bringing the subject back up with GM, I would be happy to furnish any information possible. Meanwhile, I'm still working to rebuild the CY-2019 calendars into something acceptable. I personally do not like what is left of our identifying logo, but if it gets us by this year, I'll do what is necessary for survival on the short term.

Now, as to the use of another vendor for our NECOA merchandise. I undertake a search each year for a vendor with better service, better assortment, better prices, and a better and more actionable consumer Service Department. Each year I hear horror stories from members who will never use Zazzle again - primarily because of poor quality, poor response to their "You love it or we'll replace it" policy, and just general ineptness in dealing with the buying public. The problem is that there are no other vendors who offer what Zazzle does. Vistaprint is the closest, but I can tell you personal stories about Vistaprint that rule them out, in my estimation, even if they could fulfill our needs as a vendor. I'm open to another search, as I've been searching already, but please don't expect a miracle. Thanks for your trust and support......................Ken

 

Reprinted from Above...............

Re-posted from earlier...............

If you take a close look at the "bowtie" caricature we've used in the past as part of our NECOA logo, you may notice that our "bowtie" is grossly misshapen from the original Chevrolet symbol. The lengths and shapes of the protrusions are not the same as the actual one. But, Zazzle won't respond to any appeals.

As for asking Chevrolet for approval to use the bowtie in our logo - we had a dialog a few years back, with Danny Hernandez leading, and it seemed pretty favorable until the talks just stopped. Looks like now we have to ask for permission to use El Camino, Sprint, Caballero, Conquista, Black or Royal Knight, etc. I had to delete all GM related "Key Words" that are included with each Zazzle item - used for searching assistance - because Zazzle said so. If someone would like to take the lead in bringing the subject back up with GM, I would be happy to furnish any information possible. Meanwhile, I'm still working to rebuild the CY-2019 calendars into something acceptable. I personally do not like what is left of our identifying logo, but if it gets us by this year, I'll do what is necessary for survival on the short term.

Now, as to the use of another vendor for our NECOA merchandise. I undertake a search each year for a vendor with better service, better assortment, better prices, and a better and more actionable consumer Service Department. Each year I hear horror stories from members who will never use Zazzle again - primarily because of poor quality, poor response to their "You love it or we'll replace it" policy, and just general ineptness in dealing with the buying public. The problem is that there are no other vendors who offer what Zazzle does. Vistaprint is the closest, but I can tell you personal stories about Vistaprint that rule them out, in my estimation, even if they could fulfill our needs as a vendor. I'm open to another search, as I've been searching already, but please don't expect a miracle. Thanks for your trust and support......................Ken