Got Beef? Unauthorized Users Better Look Out . This Bull is on a Rampage.

Many people are unaware of what hell a Trademark Owner goes though. First off, it costs a pretty penny to trademark your item or slogan.  We’re talking thousands of dollars in paying a lawyer to handle all the nitty gritty for you.

Ironically, the phrase got beef? ®  first used in our business as early as the 80’s, but we began putting the slogan on our cow and t-shirts, mugs, and products in the late 90’s, full on commercially selling them at the pit beef stand back in the late 90’s-2003. After the stand closed, we took our items on the road and sold them to the public at fairs and festivals in the 2000’s.  The bull mascot has been donning the “got beef” slogan for a long time now.  We sold thousands of items along the way.

Each year our shirts come out with GOT BEEF? on them, and over time when customers think of Big Fat Daddy’s they think of got beef? and we decided to finally fight our way in Trademark Licensing to prove that.

WE ENCOURAGE USE WITH LICENSING

We don’t prevent other companies from using it, in fact we encourage it WITH PROPER LICENSING.  From tiny Etsy shops to huge marketplaces, anyone can purchase a License. Since we are the Trademark owners, they must apply for and pay for annual licensing which is easy and affordable and generally based on their annual sales of product. Most choose not to and sell their products unauthorized under the radar until we threaten to sue them and the marketplace.

Big sites like Ebay and Etsy are quick to take listings down and we appreciate that, whereas other marketplaces have allowed their sellers to continue to sell the products. Recently we went into legal action against one such marketplace, and won.  This is solely due to within the realm of our trademark application we have demonstrated date of first use.

PAIN IN OUR COW-RUMP

So for the little guy, who went though all the trouble of Trademark the item, sales are being made illegally. We’re letting the world know our legal team is starting a round of  Cease and Desist letters to sellers and marketplaces. These shops and sellers will have an opportunity to purchase licensing or take their items down, and if they don’t within our acceptable timeframe, the  next step is suing them for  intentional trademark infringement. As well, we have a reputation to protect. We don’t want got beef? on some X rated tshirt depicting a naked grandma and a burger (just sayin’)

WAYNE SAYS:

*Trademark violations come down to two things: a) The Trademark owner proof of first use in commerce and b) The Trademark owner having up to date Active Trademarks.  We have both under various registration covering a slew of housewares and apparel. From hats to coffee mugs, from socks and hoodies to utensils, look out.  We have them registered properly and we encourage  licensed use but are tired of sellers and marketplaces doing so without our approval. I’m thinking about putting a Cease and Desist letter on my website and just sending out links.”

Urgh, we hate being mean, but first round of Cease and Desist Got Beef letters go out in two weeks!    Funny story, nce we tried to market something saying got milk? and almost got sued by the milk industry. So we understand it’s not the slogan, but who decides to take legal action to market it.

Early use of the slogan was to promote our company. Then we started selling wares, as early as the late 90’s, in full commercial production in the early 2000’s

 Mugs with the got beef? logo appearing on the bull have been a steady seller since 2002.

To find out what’s trademarked, go here.

To report it to us, go here:

BigFatDaddys@icloud.com

410-908-9241