There have always been trademark issues and lawsuits in the Mobile Auto Service company. I know this because I have a number of such companies. We first competitor in the Mobile Auto detailing business, called "Mobile Auto Services" another "Mobile Oil Change" and still another "Mobile Car Care". Mobil Oil Company was marketing at the time their Gas Station Service Centers as "Mobil Auto-Services" "Mobil Car Care" and "Mobil Auto Care. "
Mobile Oil even filed a case against a company in Mobile Alabama, named Mobile's Auto Service Business. These cases are more common than you think. Many times offenders on goal easier to get name recognition, while at other times it's just coincidence, or if the world comes closer together you can bet the problem will be more frequent and more serious.
If you do not think this is a problem, check this with Kellogg's Tony the Tiger and Mobil Oil Company's "Tiger Mart." I think you should ask "Whoooose Great"
http://www.eura.com/steffen/jura/aktuelles/texte/tony_kellogs_vs_exxon_tiger.htm
Whether you agree with the statements in this trademark infringement cases, the company with the largest dollar often prevail. Speaking of Victorious ... Victor's Secrets, an adult store, has a case where Victoria Secret, a 4 billion dollar per year marketer of lingerie, was not entitled to seek an end of the holder of Victor's Secret, whose real name was Bob or something.
In the case of McDonalds, they only complain about anyone with something strong in their name and they have so much law now that they usually win everything, you can beat, but that will cost you $ 190,000 + as the most recent case where it was to a high court and McDonalds won anyway.
We have already seen in California, where Oil Max was taken by a company in San Diego and the former oil Max mobile oil change company name changed in Oil Maxx with two X; unfortunate but true. In a Trademark case at the federal level would not even be possible, first use rights, but also a federal trademark to be protected otherwise you lose certain rights to use.
Now we see again where Pitts Stop Mobile Oil Change is using a similar paint scheme to the Pitts Stop for this large C-Store Chain where some offices including oil change. If they ever in the same market will have a company where both companies can not agree, problem is that there is a good chance they will be direct competitors, in which case there could easily be a lawsuit. A company that he fixed sites are located in Las Vegas and the other is located in Riverside CA that is fairly close and so far neither company is so great that it matters. In franchising as Mobil service stations, Brand Name: a lot. So, in the future if one or more of these companies could make at a point where there is a confusion. In a down economy, there is also a potential for one or more companies to go out of business thus abandoning any use of such trademark is making one such example of this kind very irrelevant.
Before getting in a car company or a company for that matter, look at the use of the names and attention, these problems are easy to fix before you start, but once you grow big cost in the loss of brand name recognition if you have the name change may be in the millions, think. I know you will.
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