R.E.A.L. Party logo, name, now trademark application pending
Aaron Burch
Issue date: 3/16/10 Section: Student Life
A number of complaints have been filed to the election commission concerning this year’s Student Government campaign season.
The use of the R.E.A.L. Party logo, colors, and slogan have been called into question by members of SG, including current President Owen Agho.
“This new group of students on campus who decided to take and use the R.E.A.L. Party name, which is the party that I ran under for Student Government and have used the platform, imagery, and the name which I feel I am heavily associated with and they did so without my permission,” Agho said. “I have filed a complaint with the election commission because there is a part in the election code which states that if there is any implication of an endorsement, it has to be written out, and I have not done so.”
The election commission sided with Agho and stated that the party could not use the imagery or any of the materials that were used in the previous elections due to the party’s association with Agho.
Agho also mentioned the possibility of taking the issue to the judicial board of campus to get the name stripped from the party.
“I feel that the party keeping the name is an issue as well,” Agho said. “I think this matters because I want students to know who is running and for there to be no confusion.”
Chief Justice Kristi Bartholomew of the judicial board stated “it is not appropriate to discuss this issue before we have held a meeting among the body and have rendered a decision.”
Unity Party presidential candidate and current Vice President Joe Patterson was an author of one of the complaints filed against the R.E.A.L. Party.
“My complaint was a counter to a complaint filed by Jon Ettinger accusing the Unity party of fraud by using the R.E.A.L. Party logo,” Patterson said. “Both of our complaints were dismissed because Ettinger’s complaint was not filed within the 48 hour time limit and mine because the election commission did not feel that it had jurisdiction over copyright laws.”
Patterson, along with Agho, feel that the current situation confuses students along with the different student organizations on campus.
“When I was at a [CAB] meeting to get their endorsement, I had to thoroughly explain to the members of the organization what the differences between the two organizations were,” Patterson said. “They were still confused even after the explanation.”
However, those associated with the R.E.A.L. Party have remained resolute in their convictions that they are carrying on the meaning of the R.E.A.L. Party.
“I was brought in to advise the candidates of the R.E.A.L. party because I had a hand in the formation of it in 2007,” said Jon Ettinger, adviser to the R.E.A.L. Party. “One of the determinations I made was to make use of the identity because the way this works is that you file paperwork for a name and you claim that identity. Some people do not see this that way.”
“We want to have a fair, honest election about ideas and moving the campus forward,” Ettinger said.
According to Ettinger, the use of imagery by the Unity Party was confusing to students.
“The first thing that the [Unity Party] did was take the R.E.A.L. Party logo and make an edit. This created a great deal of confusion among students,” Ettinger said. “It was only later when [Patterson] filed a complaint against the R.E.A.L. Party for use of the image, claiming that the letters stood for ‘Real People’ when no indication had been made prior to the complaint.”
R.E.A.L. Party presidential candidate Jose Aliaga does not feel that he or those running with him have done anything wrong.
“My original intent was to run to help the school and follow the rules as closely as possible,” Aliaga said.
However, in a recent release by the R.E.A.L. party, the situation has been dealt with.
“On March 9 the Elections Commission ruled that the 2010 R.E.A.L. Party must cease usage of the established logo and supporting materials from previous incarnations of the R.E.A.L. Party by 5 p.m.,” said Wade Merrill, coordinator of elections. “[On] March 11, an appeal was submitted to the University judicial board along with the attached trademark application for the logo, colors, name and slogan that has now been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.”
“Due to the now ‘patent [sic trademark] pending’ status of the name, logos and colors, the elections commission must now cede jurisdiction on the matter to that entity,” Merrill said. “Therefore, until such time as an intervening ruling should take place, R.E.A.L. Party will be permitted continued use of the name, logo, slogan and colors currently established.”
Agho has made no indication to pursue any action in reaction to the R.E.A.L. Party’s decision.
“I believe that it is ridiculous that [the R.E.A.L. Party] went to the patent [sic trademark] office to patent something that they never were involved with to begin with,” Agho said. “If [the R.E.A.L. Party] wants to take it that far, that’s fine.”
“We don’t have any action planned in regards to this development,” Agho said. “I think it just shows where they are at right now. I’m just disappointed in the whole situation.”
Regardless of where anyone stands on either side of the issue, the general consensus among both parties that they want to move on from the situation and get to the actual election.
Aaron can be reached at aaburch@umflint.edu.
Editor’s note: Joe Patterson is currently the interim advertising manager for “The Michigan Times” and Jon Ettinger is the distribution manager. Their affiliation with the M-Times had no effect on the publication or reporting of this story.
The use of the R.E.A.L. Party logo, colors, and slogan have been called into question by members of SG, including current President Owen Agho.
“This new group of students on campus who decided to take and use the R.E.A.L. Party name, which is the party that I ran under for Student Government and have used the platform, imagery, and the name which I feel I am heavily associated with and they did so without my permission,” Agho said. “I have filed a complaint with the election commission because there is a part in the election code which states that if there is any implication of an endorsement, it has to be written out, and I have not done so.”
The election commission sided with Agho and stated that the party could not use the imagery or any of the materials that were used in the previous elections due to the party’s association with Agho.
Agho also mentioned the possibility of taking the issue to the judicial board of campus to get the name stripped from the party.
“I feel that the party keeping the name is an issue as well,” Agho said. “I think this matters because I want students to know who is running and for there to be no confusion.”
Chief Justice Kristi Bartholomew of the judicial board stated “it is not appropriate to discuss this issue before we have held a meeting among the body and have rendered a decision.”
Unity Party presidential candidate and current Vice President Joe Patterson was an author of one of the complaints filed against the R.E.A.L. Party.
“My complaint was a counter to a complaint filed by Jon Ettinger accusing the Unity party of fraud by using the R.E.A.L. Party logo,” Patterson said. “Both of our complaints were dismissed because Ettinger’s complaint was not filed within the 48 hour time limit and mine because the election commission did not feel that it had jurisdiction over copyright laws.”
Patterson, along with Agho, feel that the current situation confuses students along with the different student organizations on campus.
“When I was at a [CAB] meeting to get their endorsement, I had to thoroughly explain to the members of the organization what the differences between the two organizations were,” Patterson said. “They were still confused even after the explanation.”
However, those associated with the R.E.A.L. Party have remained resolute in their convictions that they are carrying on the meaning of the R.E.A.L. Party.
“I was brought in to advise the candidates of the R.E.A.L. party because I had a hand in the formation of it in 2007,” said Jon Ettinger, adviser to the R.E.A.L. Party. “One of the determinations I made was to make use of the identity because the way this works is that you file paperwork for a name and you claim that identity. Some people do not see this that way.”
“We want to have a fair, honest election about ideas and moving the campus forward,” Ettinger said.
According to Ettinger, the use of imagery by the Unity Party was confusing to students.
“The first thing that the [Unity Party] did was take the R.E.A.L. Party logo and make an edit. This created a great deal of confusion among students,” Ettinger said. “It was only later when [Patterson] filed a complaint against the R.E.A.L. Party for use of the image, claiming that the letters stood for ‘Real People’ when no indication had been made prior to the complaint.”
R.E.A.L. Party presidential candidate Jose Aliaga does not feel that he or those running with him have done anything wrong.
“My original intent was to run to help the school and follow the rules as closely as possible,” Aliaga said.
However, in a recent release by the R.E.A.L. party, the situation has been dealt with.
“On March 9 the Elections Commission ruled that the 2010 R.E.A.L. Party must cease usage of the established logo and supporting materials from previous incarnations of the R.E.A.L. Party by 5 p.m.,” said Wade Merrill, coordinator of elections. “[On] March 11, an appeal was submitted to the University judicial board along with the attached trademark application for the logo, colors, name and slogan that has now been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.”
“Due to the now ‘patent [sic trademark] pending’ status of the name, logos and colors, the elections commission must now cede jurisdiction on the matter to that entity,” Merrill said. “Therefore, until such time as an intervening ruling should take place, R.E.A.L. Party will be permitted continued use of the name, logo, slogan and colors currently established.”
Agho has made no indication to pursue any action in reaction to the R.E.A.L. Party’s decision.
“I believe that it is ridiculous that [the R.E.A.L. Party] went to the patent [sic trademark] office to patent something that they never were involved with to begin with,” Agho said. “If [the R.E.A.L. Party] wants to take it that far, that’s fine.”
“We don’t have any action planned in regards to this development,” Agho said. “I think it just shows where they are at right now. I’m just disappointed in the whole situation.”
Regardless of where anyone stands on either side of the issue, the general consensus among both parties that they want to move on from the situation and get to the actual election.
Aaron can be reached at aaburch@umflint.edu.
Editor’s note: Joe Patterson is currently the interim advertising manager for “The Michigan Times” and Jon Ettinger is the distribution manager. Their affiliation with the M-Times had no effect on the publication or reporting of this story.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Steve S.
posted 3/16/10 @ 2:44 PM EST
This has to do with Trademarks not patents which have to do with inventing.
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