GWP
11th August 2011, 12:57
PUBLICATION: The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton)
PAGE: A1
DATE: 2011.08.11
BYLINE: STEPHEN LLEWELLYN llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com
COPYRIGHT: © 2011 The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton)
________________________________________
Armed Forces owns rights to yellow ribbon; Copyright | Image can't be used for corporate types of promotion, says military________________________________________
You can tie a yellow ribbon around your old oak tree for free.
But if you want to use a yellow ribbon and the phrase "Support Our Troops" in your business, you're going to have to pay Ottawa for the privilege.
The Department of Natural Defence has owned the copyright to the phrase and the yellow ribbon image since 2007, said Department of National Defence public affairs officer Capt. Rob Bungay.
"Although we appreciate and encourage individuals' personal support of the Canadian Forces through the display of the yellow ribbon, the use of the department's intellectual property in corporate promotional matter cannot be supported," he said in an email.
"The unauthorized use of the yellow ribbon in commercial advertising could mislead the public and Canadian Forces members with regard to the companies' association with the official Support Our Troops program; and/or DND's endorsement of the companies over that of their competitors."
He said Canada adopted the yellow ribbon campaign after its success in the United States in a merchandising launch in May 2005.
Subsequent to its introduction, a registration for trademark protection was submitted in mid-2006 and it was registered in early 2007.
The first Canadian yellow Support Our Troops ribbon was introduced as a car magnet, and it's now one product in an extensive selection of Support Our Troops items available for purchase, said Bungay.
"In a nutshell, the policy allows Canadians to license the image to aid in the promotion of goodwill events and activities in support of our troops while prohibiting the use of the symbol in association with the promotion of for-sale goods and services that have no direct association with the members of the Canadian Forces or of their families," he said.
Proceeds from the sale of yellow ribbon products such as magnets, decals, shirts and ball caps go to Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services on behalf of current and former members of the Canadian Forces and their families, said Bungay.
"In addition to ongoing contributions, over $3.5 million has been distributed to all bases, wings and units across Canada to support new and existing morale and welfare initiatives at the local level," he said.
The Armed Forces has also licensed the use of the yellow ribbon to 85 entities for the promotion of their fundraising event or activity, including many private individuals as well as some well-known organizations such as the Calgary Flames hockey club, said Bungay.
The military takes its copyright seriously. But Bungay said usually a call or a letter is enough to handle unauthorized use.
Companies interested in using the yellow ribbon should contact the national manager of strategic communications at Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services, said Bungay.
The Riverview Ford car dealership in Fredericton has a large yellow ribbon on its signage and Nick McCarthy, general manager and vice-president, said he has no problem with the symbol being copyrighted by the military.
"We haven't heard anything about it," he said Wednesday. "We've had no problems. No one's mentioned anything to us."
McCarthy said the company began using the yellow ribbon after being contacted by officials from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown when Canadian soldiers were first deployed to Afghanistan.
"They were getting local businesses to support the troops overseas," he said. "They were selling those and we purchased them at that time and put them up and they've been up ever since.
"I didn't even know that they copyrighted that."
McCarthy said it's nice the military controls the symbol.
"There's all kinds of people around that are trying to make a buck off of causes that are important to people," he said.
Oromocto Mayor Fay Tidd also said she was surprised to learn the yellow ribbon is copyrighted, but she had no concerns about it.
"It's a great compliment to those that have the yellow ribbon on their buildings or in the windows of their cars and houses and wear the yellow ribbons on pins," she said Wednesday.
Tidd said there are yellow ribbons on almost every business, church and public building in Oromocto.
"The ribbons have been everywhere for the last couple of years," she said.
Tidd said she was pleased to hear the money went to Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services .
Bob Lockhart, a retired military officer and commentator on military matters who lives in Fredericton, said he's surprised, but not concerned, the military has copyrighted the yellow ribbon.
"Certainly the military is very open in seeking the support of the Canadian population for the work that the military does," he said.
In terms of legal control, he said he would rather see the rights to the yellow ribbon owned by the military than a private company seeking to make a profit off of such an important public symbol.
"In the hands of the military, there is probably a better chance that it would be used for its original purpose," he said.
The yellow ribbon isn't the only image controlled by the military.
Lockhart said it's illegal in Canada to wear a military uniform and pretend to be a soldier, sailor or airman or woman.
Another symbol related to war that's copyrighted is the poppy, which is the property of the Royal Canadian Legion, he said.
PAGE: A1
DATE: 2011.08.11
BYLINE: STEPHEN LLEWELLYN llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com
COPYRIGHT: © 2011 The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton)
________________________________________
Armed Forces owns rights to yellow ribbon; Copyright | Image can't be used for corporate types of promotion, says military________________________________________
You can tie a yellow ribbon around your old oak tree for free.
But if you want to use a yellow ribbon and the phrase "Support Our Troops" in your business, you're going to have to pay Ottawa for the privilege.
The Department of Natural Defence has owned the copyright to the phrase and the yellow ribbon image since 2007, said Department of National Defence public affairs officer Capt. Rob Bungay.
"Although we appreciate and encourage individuals' personal support of the Canadian Forces through the display of the yellow ribbon, the use of the department's intellectual property in corporate promotional matter cannot be supported," he said in an email.
"The unauthorized use of the yellow ribbon in commercial advertising could mislead the public and Canadian Forces members with regard to the companies' association with the official Support Our Troops program; and/or DND's endorsement of the companies over that of their competitors."
He said Canada adopted the yellow ribbon campaign after its success in the United States in a merchandising launch in May 2005.
Subsequent to its introduction, a registration for trademark protection was submitted in mid-2006 and it was registered in early 2007.
The first Canadian yellow Support Our Troops ribbon was introduced as a car magnet, and it's now one product in an extensive selection of Support Our Troops items available for purchase, said Bungay.
"In a nutshell, the policy allows Canadians to license the image to aid in the promotion of goodwill events and activities in support of our troops while prohibiting the use of the symbol in association with the promotion of for-sale goods and services that have no direct association with the members of the Canadian Forces or of their families," he said.
Proceeds from the sale of yellow ribbon products such as magnets, decals, shirts and ball caps go to Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services on behalf of current and former members of the Canadian Forces and their families, said Bungay.
"In addition to ongoing contributions, over $3.5 million has been distributed to all bases, wings and units across Canada to support new and existing morale and welfare initiatives at the local level," he said.
The Armed Forces has also licensed the use of the yellow ribbon to 85 entities for the promotion of their fundraising event or activity, including many private individuals as well as some well-known organizations such as the Calgary Flames hockey club, said Bungay.
The military takes its copyright seriously. But Bungay said usually a call or a letter is enough to handle unauthorized use.
Companies interested in using the yellow ribbon should contact the national manager of strategic communications at Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services, said Bungay.
The Riverview Ford car dealership in Fredericton has a large yellow ribbon on its signage and Nick McCarthy, general manager and vice-president, said he has no problem with the symbol being copyrighted by the military.
"We haven't heard anything about it," he said Wednesday. "We've had no problems. No one's mentioned anything to us."
McCarthy said the company began using the yellow ribbon after being contacted by officials from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown when Canadian soldiers were first deployed to Afghanistan.
"They were getting local businesses to support the troops overseas," he said. "They were selling those and we purchased them at that time and put them up and they've been up ever since.
"I didn't even know that they copyrighted that."
McCarthy said it's nice the military controls the symbol.
"There's all kinds of people around that are trying to make a buck off of causes that are important to people," he said.
Oromocto Mayor Fay Tidd also said she was surprised to learn the yellow ribbon is copyrighted, but she had no concerns about it.
"It's a great compliment to those that have the yellow ribbon on their buildings or in the windows of their cars and houses and wear the yellow ribbons on pins," she said Wednesday.
Tidd said there are yellow ribbons on almost every business, church and public building in Oromocto.
"The ribbons have been everywhere for the last couple of years," she said.
Tidd said she was pleased to hear the money went to Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services .
Bob Lockhart, a retired military officer and commentator on military matters who lives in Fredericton, said he's surprised, but not concerned, the military has copyrighted the yellow ribbon.
"Certainly the military is very open in seeking the support of the Canadian population for the work that the military does," he said.
In terms of legal control, he said he would rather see the rights to the yellow ribbon owned by the military than a private company seeking to make a profit off of such an important public symbol.
"In the hands of the military, there is probably a better chance that it would be used for its original purpose," he said.
The yellow ribbon isn't the only image controlled by the military.
Lockhart said it's illegal in Canada to wear a military uniform and pretend to be a soldier, sailor or airman or woman.
Another symbol related to war that's copyrighted is the poppy, which is the property of the Royal Canadian Legion, he said.