It’s been a long time coming, but it would seem that Disney is ready to fight Deadmau5 over his mouse ears. The musician is attempting to trademark his black and white mouse logo in the USA and the Walt Disney isn’t happy. The company believes the logo infringes on their legendary brand and they’re ready to fight over it. From Variety:
The company, in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, said that deadmau5’s logo “is nearly identical in appearance, connotation and overall commercial impression to Disney’s Mouse Ears Marks.” Disney noted that “both parties marks are comprised of a round head with prominent round mouse ears in silhouette,” and that the trademark designation was likely to cause confusion and dilution of its own marks.
Deadmau5, a.k.a. Joel Zimmerman, has long used the “mau5head” logo, but Disney filed its objection on Tuesday after the performer’s attorneys filed a trademark application last year to cover the use of the logo across a variety of products.
Deadmau5 tweeted on Tuesday, “Disney thinks you might confuse an established electronic musician / performer with a cartoon mouse. That’s how stupid they think you are.” He holds trademarks on the mouse ears in other countries.
I’d be apt to side with Deadmau5 with a knee jerk reaction, but Disney might have a point if you stand back and look at the entire matter. I’d hate to throw any support their way in the matter, but I also think your normal everyday consumer is an idiot. They see mouse ears and the next thing you know, one of them is licking a wall and another is sucking on a pacifier in a pair of bicycle shorts.
It also doesn’t help that Deadmau5 might’ve damned himself in an interview back in 2012. From Rolling Stone:
As reported back in April, the registration would allow the logo to appear on an array of products, including electronic equipment, toys, entertainment services, BMX bikes, paper and leather goods, and even food products like coffee. Disney claims the Deadmau5 trademark would damage their business and mislead consumers. In 2012, the producer did acknowledge the alleged Mickey similarities in a 2012 Rolling Stone cover story, saying, “Someone at the Disney patent office fell asleep on that one.”
I know that copyright battles are normally boring as toast. I’d rather watch another season of Low Winter Sun in a room with no windows. But on one side we have everyone’s beloved cartoon mouse and on the other is a guy who wears a giant mouse head in his musical act.
They should be forced to show up to court in their respective characters and fight. If I determined how courtroom procedures were executed, they would.
(Via Variety / The AV Club / Rolling Stone)
