Apparently there is a brouhaha brewing between Apple Computer and The Big Apple, and it's over the use of a logo. Apple has recently complained to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that New York City has infringed upon its trademark by using an Apple logo for its GreeNYC initiative. The computer maker's contention is that this will cause confusion in the marketplace.
GreeNYC's sole mission is to promote a more environmentally friendly city by cutting greenhouse emissions by 30%. Apple's mission is to sell all kinds of stuff including computers, iPods, iPhones and other types of electronic devices. (Full dislosure; I own an iPod and love it.)
The idea that a consumer would ever confuse the mission of these two totally different organizations over the use of a logo in the shape of an apple boggles the mind. It isn't likely that on my way to the Apple store one day, I may see a GreeNYC poster and realize that I need to cut my carbon footprint instead. This would be a welcome unintended consequence, but the likelihood of it happening is in the range of about zero percent.
Although protecting one's franchise and branding are certainly worth fighting for, this is, in my opinion, taking that idea a bit too far. Plus, we can't forget about the paper that will most likely be used in the pursuit of this cause, and the subsequent cost of all those trees.
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