Purple Heart Bandages: the Trademark Dept at J&J took my info

[jean]

Spoke to an attorney who assists Larry Rickles, of the Trademark Dept.

I told her about CNN showing the delegate and P/H bandage last night and that I was told it was a Band Aid brand band aid used to put a sparkle purple heart sticker on to mock Kerry's military service.

Told her how furious I was at this denigration of our vets and troops. (at this point my voice got a shaky, I've talked to quite a few people on the phone today. 3M and now J&J)

I directed her to do a goggle search for purple heart bandage so she could see the pix herself.

Plus, I directed her here:

http://www.shopmetrospy.com/cgi-bin/sc-v3/catprod.pl?client=shopmetrospy&catid=33%20

When she saw the second button she said, "Oh no...that's ours."

This metro spy.com site has the button up for sale PLUS is going to make a decision tonight to put an actual bandage up for sale.

The attorney said she was sending this info in to her boss (he was on a conference call) 'as we speak. He'll want this right away.'

She took my name and phone number. I said, please don't give my number out to the NRC, and laughed weakly.


Here is the first thread I posted today, after calling 3M:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=702863#703007

[el_gato]

1. Good Work

[ezekiel333]

2. Great Job!

[michigandem2]

3. Good work...awesome job...and thanks!

[jean]

4. Could someone PLEASE screen save this page before metrospy

is forced to take the product off - here:

http://www.shopmetrospy.com/cgi-bin/sc-v3/catprod.pl?client=shopmetrospy&catid=33%20

I got the feeling the trademark attorney might call immediately and put a stop on the button.

[TeeYiYi]

7. Done. n/t

TYY

[jean]

8. many thanks!

[michigandem2]

9. i copied it in my word..and pasted it to a new memo...

is that what you mean? once it goes down I will still have it...correct?

[jean]

11. aaack! I don't know! I copied the image of the button to my computer

but don't know how to copy the entire page - so that metrospy can be nailed for having it on their site.

By the way, I wonder who runs metrospy - they have a long nasty line of anti-dem products going way back.

[gatorboy]

12. I took a screen shot of the page for ya!

If you ever need it, let me know. I'll file it away.

[jean]

13. thanks, gb!

[TeeYiYi]

5. Good job. Start the count down . . .

. . . to when that image gets pulled from the web. :7

TYY

[Gothmog]

6. Good Job

If J&J react, then we need to let the media know. This could help keep the story alive for a while. This may well be one of the dumbest and meanest pranks by the repugs. I hope that it backfires on them.

[eleny]

10. I also contacted the J&J Board of Directors

Here is my thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x703331

There's a link to a form that can be sent to the Board.

I hope we flood everyone at J&J!

[soothsayer]

14. bwa ha ha ha! Good for you!

Great work. Kudos!

[Princess Turandot]

15. Suggestion re letters to J & J...please read

Rather than clicking on a link to the J & J site, or any other posted here for the purpose of sending email, copy and paste the link into a new browser window, or even a different browser if you use more than one. By clicking on the link, they will know that these letters are coming from a common source, because they probably track 'referring pages'. That may dilute the impact of the message.

I sent the following:

**************************************

Dishonoring our Wounded War Veterans

Johnson & Johnson is a company whose name has always been synonymous with a quality American product, intended to help protect our health. Your product is now being used at the Republican National Convention to shamelessly mock another quality American product: our wounded war veterans.

I call upon you to not only demand that they stop using your product in this fashion, but that you publically chastize them for what they are doing.They should be ashamed of themselves and so should you if you allow this to continue.

[NoBorders]

16. nice job! n/t

[ClassWarrior]

17. Wear a silver star for JK.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=700513

[Princess Turandot]

18. Please see this message as well..Bayer Pharmaceuticals are also

involved:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x703621

Their German contact page is at:

http://mail.bayermail.com/response/MDCCenter.nsf/CUS_ContactFormEN?ReadForm&source=DU&sec=s

My email:

Please be advised that there are people in the US using your product Bactine's name to mock wounded American war veterans.

http://www.shopmetrospy.com/cgi-bin/sc-v3/catprod.pl?client=shopmetrospy&catid=33%20

This is in support of the campaign to re-elect GW Bush as President.

You make a quality product and should be associated with quality, not the disrespect of men and women honorably wounded in battle. Please contact them and demand that they stop using your name, and apologize to your company and American Purple Heart recipients immediately. Remember those veterans who died liberating Germany and do the right thing.

[jean]

23. YES! The metrospy button uses 'Bactine' on the button

[RevCheesehead]

29. metrospy has pulled the link...

I just tried the link listed above.

SOMETHING is working!!! Great job, DU'ers!!!!!!

[jean]

32. I just tried it and got in - the button is still there

[Myrina]

19. You're welcome ....

for the tip about the possible trademark infringement ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x702863#702901

"Myrina (438 posts)
Tue Aug-31-04 08:47 PM
Response to Original message

9. Should be a trademark violation

...if the Thug used name-brand band aids and colored his little symbol on them w/o the makers' permission ....

[jean]

22. belated thanks for the idea - had no intention of stealing your thunder, I

just took off and began a few hours of phone work. Sorry if your feelings were hurt, Myrina.

[seabeyond]

27. cool myrina, good catch

and cool jean for the calls.

both you guys excellent. i sent an email to johnson and johnson. got out some of my anger at the corporations that want my money as consumer and then support republican party

[quaoar]

20. We should also point out to J&J

Instances in the press where the purple heart bandages are actually called Band-Aids, which is J&J's trademark name:

"The party came under Democratic attack over distribution at the convention of band-aids with purple hearts on them -- a dig at Kerry reflecting his opponents' claims that at least one of the Vietnam wounds for which he received the Purple Heart decoration was little more than a scratch."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49661-2004Aug31.html

[incapsulated]

21. Wow, excellent work!

I'm gonna email J&J! :hi:

[Eurobabe]

24. another contact

http://www.band-aid.com/contact_us.jsp

OR tel. 1-866-JNJ-2873 from 8-5 EST, Monday through Friday

Bitch long and loud.

J&J does NOT want to be associated with this. Believe me, I have a friend who works in corporate crisis management.

[quaoar]

26. "Bitch long and loud"

Done.

[RevCheesehead]

31. Thanks for the link.

I just sent a complaint through their comments line, and am awaiting an e-mail reply.

[in_cog_ni_to]

37. Sent an email here TOO! BOMBARD THEM WITH EMAILS!!!

:bounce:

[noamnety]

25. my email

I'm a U.S. Army veteran, and I'm very disturbed by the use of bandaids to mock soldiers who have been wounded while defending their country. I don't understand how anyone can find humor in a person getting shot at during a war.

I understand J&J is not responsible for creating this situation at all, and you don't have a way to prevent people mocking our soldiers. I do hope you will do whatever you can, though, to prevent your products from being linked to these activities.

Thank you.

[quaoar]

28. Good email

[Chichiri]

30. I seem to have missed the Band-Aid saga

But based on what I've seen in here, I think I can safely add you, Jean, to my "people who rock" list. :yourock:

[jean]

33. thanks - you're from MN and might appreciate that it was the 3M rep

out at their Maplewood location who set the direction for me.

We use their Nexcare bandages - so it seemed okay to call, complain and just point out the issue to them. I was trying to get a 3M press release - anything - to call attention to the issue.

It was the 3M rep who did a search and instantly found that metrospy.com site - she mumbled the name so I wrote it down. (Later, the metrospy rep coughed up info about their plans AND pointed out their button - this provided a great visual and really helped demonstrate the issue to the J&J att'y)

So it was good old Minnesota 3M that put this dog on the hunt - in the right direction!

[rocktivity]

34. Someone posted the e-mail of the guy who came up with the idea

and I snarked, "Maybe we should contact the Band-Aid company, too." Even if they aren't actually made by Band-Aid, they probably wont be happy about the press referring to them that way. This ain't Terell Owens and his Sharpie!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mtnester]

36. 3....2....1

hope you got a good lawyer

[in_cog_ni_to]

38. Go to hell you SOB! n/t

[michigandem2]

39. sick bastard...good luck to ya!

[in_cog_ni_to]

40. KICKIN' for a TOMBSTONE!

Get this SOB outta here!!! Come on!

[blue neen]

42. Help. How do you notify the DU

when you catch a sick bastard like that?

[jean]

45. click 'Alert' in the lower left corner of your post

[in_cog_ni_to]

46. the "alert" button at the bottom left of his post.

:hi:

[mtnester]

41. Hah..gone

what an asshole

[Minimus]

43. another ph bandaid

picture at mightyrighty.com

sorry i was unable to link it

[jean]

48. there was another one called Bland Aid that is really obnoxious

you can see that one here:

http://www.sacredcowburgers.com/leftovers/showpics.cgi?kerrys_first_aid_kit

[blue neen]

44. You ALL did fantastic work on this.

Let's keep those e-mails rolling.

[in_cog_ni_to]

47. Write an email...EVERYONE!!!! n/t

[dryan]

49. In very bad taste....

my father received the Purple Heart for fighting in Korea. His back still bothers him for a shrapnel wound. My aunt's father was awarded the Purple Heart postumously during World War II. I think this is highly insensitive and an insult to these men and thousands of others. How can we stop this insult??