A battle over this logo? Posted 2010/02/17 @ 10:00 AM By Myles Kornblatt
UPDATED: (2/18 5:00pm EST) Lake Mary High School and Chrysler are talking again for a possible solution that would satisfy both parties.
Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Florida is infringing on (Dodge) Ram’s logo. The trademarked badge Chrysler currently adds to all its trucks is a strikingly similar goat to the one the Lake Mary Rams use for items such as uniforms, stationary, and courtyard benches. So the issue here is not who owns the rights, but instead how the rights are being handled.
In November 2009, Lake Mary High School’s principal Michael Kotkin received a phone call from Chrysler. The company had received an anonymous tip (i.e. rival high school student or someone shoved into too many lockers) about Lake Mary High’s logo, including pictures of it in use at various events. Chrysler was not happy and instructed Lake Mary High to change its insignia.
The Seminole County School District did not see this as a case they could win, nor did they want spend school funding trying to fight, so Lake Mary High will change its logo. Between now and June 15th, the school needs to change everything from its letterhead to its gymnasium floor.
Kotkin doesn’t have an estimate on how much the change will cost in total, but he believes the gym floor alone will cost about $15,000 to fix. When asked about the effect it has on the students, Kotkin mentioned some of his kids were going to stay away from the Chrysler brand.
If there is any positive part to this story, it seems to have ignited school spirit. “Selfishly I say it really galvanized my school, and I love it,” says Kotkin.
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This shows a classic disconnect of marketing at a corporate level. This is a built-in, no-cost opportunity to build brand loyalty. Ram trucks and Dodge cars (before the logo was changed last month) were likely on the shopping list for students at Lake Mary High School. After all, what quarterback/head cheerleader/debate team leader wouldn’t want his/her school logo attached to his/her first car?
By forcing the school to change the its symbol, they have not only lost the visual connection for thousands of potential customers, but Chrysler has also polarized against the brand any student, parent, or alumni who has to see public school money spent to fix a corporate logo issue.
Chrysler isn’t in the wrong from a legal standpoint. It needs to protect its official image from getting in the wrong hands. If it officially lets Lake Mary High use its logo, then it sets a dangerous precedent for any non-profit who wants to copy Chrysler’s ram. But there are unofficial channels Chrysler could have used first.
Chrysler initially could have tried a gentleman’s agreement rather than calling in the lawyers. A personal phone call to Kotkin from a non-lawyer Chrysler executive would have been a good first step. The principal could have been given a friendly reminder of Lake Mary High’s resemblance to the company’s trademark, and how he may want to be careful how it’s used and/or may want to slowly phase it out. Chrysler would never officially or publicly acknowledge the Lake Mary Ram’s logo, but if the school ever abused this unofficial privilege, then Chrysler could still send in the legal team.
While this incident will likely not go down in Chrysler’s history as a bigger marketing blunder than items like the “Ask Dr Z” campaign or the Maserati-built Chrysler TC, it still is a missed opportunity that will be felt in the Orlando area for time to come.
