Fashion: Chanel Inc. on How to Make Friends and Influence People

Many journalists, writers, online editors and bloggers received the above notice from Chanel's corporate parent recently politely instructing them to refrain from what the company considers an inappropriate usurpation of their brand name (please click on the above image to read). Not since Apple Computer tried (unsuccessfully) to prevent the use of any and all images resembling that most ubiquitous fruit, the apple, has a brand sought to push the limits of trademark infringement law this far.

While I empathize with their plight to a point (I also don't think a jacket should be referred to as a "Chanel jacket" unless it is indeed one), the company is pushing the envelope when they also suggest that the use of terms such as "Chanel-issime", "Chanel-ed", "Chanels" and "Chanel-ized" will incur the ire of their army of lawyers. Where exactly do they plan to draw the line? Language being as pliable as it is, the list is potentially endless: Just off the top of my head, I can think of Chanel-esque, Chanel-inspired, Chanel-like, etc.

Can you think of a better way for a brand to fritter away its goodwill with the print and online journalistic communities? Not only does it smack of arrogance and heavy-handedness but it risks actually having the opposite effect. Courts tend to take a dim view of corporate attempts to overreach whether it be via trademark infringement suits or other creative uses of the legal system. I for one would be curious to see a test case wind its way through the court system on the basis of trademark infringement for the use of the term "Chanel-ized".

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Comments

[John Agee Paris]

Chanel needs to get over it. They should be thrilled that "Chanel" has entered the lexicon as an adjective and a verb.

[Dahlia]

Prince tried to do the same thing with music and images. He even forbade his own fans from sharing pictures or posting pictures of him on the internet. Um, way to lose fans Prince.

Chanel may be well intended, but I believe there is a distinct line between praising and blatant slandering of the brand's name. They should be putting those lawyers to better use and track down counterfeiters rather than pursuing online journalism etiquettes.

They need to lighten up a bit.

[Debra Healy]

There is no such thing as bad publicity in the long run, If there were a loss of interest, and silence, then that would be something to be concerned about.

[Make Do Style]

Guilty as charged except on the Chanel jacket mention. I'd only call something Chanel if it was! And yes point well made - you can't own language! This is a bit rich givne Karl Lagerfeld has 'pimped' every young or old thing that moves of late. Surely the brand should be thinking of its status and value in other ways. If Chanel and the 2.55 wasn't so ubiqitous then we wouldn't be referring to it in such a manner!