The Town-Crier newspaper has issued a notice to a community organization following the unauthorized use of the newspaper’s logo in a recent mailer to Wellington residents. The letter, addressed to the organization “A Better Wellington,” highlights the infringement of the intellectual property rights of Town-Crier newspaper.
The issue surfaced when it was discovered that “A Better Wellington” utilized the Town-Crier newspaper’s logo and other imagery in a letter sent to Wellington residents without obtaining the necessary permissions from the newspaper.
Barry Manning, publisher of the Town-Crier, expressed clear disapproval of this unauthorized use, emphasizing that no consent was given for the reproduction of the logo. Although the letter included in the mailer, which followed below the newspaper’s logo, was in fact similar to an opinion item that was published in a recent issue of the Town-Crier, which had met all the criteria clearly dictated in each edition for those wishing to submit opinion items and letters, it clearly was not a reproduction of the newspaper’s published issue, but, in fact, a misrepresentation leading many of those who received it in their USPS mailbox to believe it was directly distributed by the Town-Crier newspaper.
Although the newspaper reports on all sides and does not take a position one way or the other regarding the author or content of the mailer, it must take issue with the identifying logo placed at the top of the first page of the two-page letter.
For clarification, the Town-Crier has previously authorized the use of its logo and imagery in specific contexts, such as when accompanied by the phrase “As Seen In.” This was not the case with the mailer in question. The unauthorized use of the logo prompted the Town-Crier to demand immediate cessation of all usage and to refrain from any future use without written consent.
The letter served as an official notice to “A Better Wellington,” outlining the following demands:
The organization must immediately stop any and all use of the Town-Crier’s logo in any form or medium and obtain written consent from the Town-Crier newspaper before any future use of the newspaper’s logo and imagery.
The letter underscores the urgency of the matter and urged “A Better Wellington” to promptly rectify the situation. The newspaper anticipates the immediate cooperation and compliance with this request.
