Originally Posted by OZ98Cobra
I haven't been around much lately - too busy working unfortunately - but I would like to add something to this debate:
This issue is VERY serious - not only are legitimate companies, many of whom helped make the Mustang the phenomenon and the sales success that it is today, being victimized and in some cases forced out of business, but so are Mustang clubs and enthusiast organizations - including groups like gotstang.com.
Whether Ford is being motivated by lawyer sponsored greed, or a very misguided marketing dept., the fact is this is one of the biggest examples of a company literally biting the hand that feeds them that I have seen in a long long time!
While I respect Ford's right to preserve their trademarks and their logos and names, and their are clear cases out there where people are using Ford names and logos inappropriately or without a licensing agreement in situations where an agreement should be in place, Ford suing legitimate clubs, enthusiast orgs, and businesses like Mustangs Plus who have been in business for years and contributed to the Mustang's success is just plain madness!
So what can we do about it? Actually, we can a lot - the Mustang community is not small - and what's more, we all talk to each other a whole lot via forums and clubs like this one. What is called for here is some good old fashioned people power to send a strong message to Ford! Now while petitions and emails, etc. are worth the time and effort to do, I think the best action we as a community of Ford customers can take to protect what we have is direct action that will send a clear and strong messge to the management and bean counters at Ford - we need to all band together and REMOVE ALL FORD AND MUSTANG BADGING FROM OUR VEHICLES - and make it known to the press that we are doing so.
Perhaps in place of Ford and Mustang badges, we need bumper stickers that communicate what Ford is doing - I'm sure someone who is good with with Photochop could whip up a stylized graphic of a pony biting a hand and attached a suitable tag line? ;)
So who's up for this? Lets do it now, remove those badges and start spreading the word on other forums and boards - take pics and post them - and as it gains momentum online, we will tell our friends in the Mustang press to spread it even further!
