Will Van Halen Be Suing Trump Next?

[toobfreak]

I was watching a video here the other day of either Trump at a rally or something about Trump posted by Road Runner and at the start of the video in the corner of the screen, this new Trump/Vance logo caught my attention:

And I thought: Gee! That looks kind of familiar! So I checked, and a very similar design was on the cover of the first two of Van Halen's albums plus an anthology album:

So I have to wonder, is this just a coincidence? Did Trump pay royalties or licensing fees to VH? Or has some graphic artist or the Trump campaign rip off the band?

Will they be suing Trump next? I mean, that design is Van Halen's trademark logo design used on several of their albums!

 

[The Irish Ram]

They are not the same. A V and an H is not the same as a T and a V. Similar, but not the same.

 

[toobfreak]

They are not the same. A V and an H is not the same as a T and a V. Similar, but not the same.

Nah, c'mon. A trademark attorney would have no problem proving trademark piracy. Same three bar wings, same V-shape, same block letter graphics, even the V is identical. All they basically did is trade sides with the V and the H then make the H into a T.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Trademarks aren't much different than patents. You only have to tweak something a little bit and it's a whole new product.

 

[The Duke]

I was watching a video here the other day of either Trump at a rally or something about Trump posted by Road Runner and at the start of the video in the corner of the screen, this new Trump/Vance logo caught my attention:

View attachment 1027603

And I thought: Gee! That looks kind of familiar! So I checked, and a very similar design was on the cover of the first two of Van Halen's albums plus an anthology album:


View attachment 1027606

So I have to wonder, is this just a coincidence? Did Trump pay royalties or licensing fees to VH? Or has some graphic artist or the Trump campaign rip off the band?

Will they be suing Trump next? I mean, that design is Van Halen's trademark logo design used on several of their albums!

You had to check?

 

[toobfreak]

You had to check?

Well sure. I'm not in the business of making guesses. I wanted to be sure of what was similar or not and on which albums it was used and to get a photo copy of it for this thread. I don't think there is any doubt the Trump campaign or whoever created the logo in said video could be sued for trademark piracy.

 

[The Duke]

Well sure. I'm not in the business of making guesses. I wanted to be sure of what was similar or not and on which albums it was used and to get a photo copy of it for this thread. I don't think there is any doubt the Trump campaign or whoever created the logo in said video could be sued for trademark piracy.

Certainly not by Eddie Van Halen brah. I doubt Michael Anthony gives a **** either.
It's just raised block lettering. Be a hard time proving that one.
I doubt the VH guys wanna go out like Metallica did.

 

[toobfreak]

You had to check?

Here is the video where I saw it (about 1 minute in).


And here is the company using it, apparently admitting the plagiarism marketing it as a "Trump The Rocker" logo for all kinds of merchandise!

The Officer Tatum Store

Brandon Tatum's Official Online Store | The Officer Tatum Store - All things Conservative!

www.theofficertatumstore.com

I am almost tempted to call them up and ask them if they have permission to use that logo from the Van Halen band and whether they realize Van Halen could probably sue them big.

 

[ThisIsMe]

I was watching a video here the other day of either Trump at a rally or something about Trump posted by Road Runner and at the start of the video in the corner of the screen, this new Trump/Vance logo caught my attention:

View attachment 1027603

And I thought: Gee! That looks kind of familiar! So I checked, and a very similar design was on the cover of the first two of Van Halen's albums plus an anthology album:


View attachment 1027606

So I have to wonder, is this just a coincidence? Did Trump pay royalties or licensing fees to VH? Or has some graphic artist or the Trump campaign rip off the band?

Will they be suing Trump next? I mean, that design is Van Halen's trademark logo design used on several of their albums!

Link the video so the rest of us can see?

 

[The Duke]

Link the video so the rest of us can see?

Already done.

 

[The Duke]

Here is the video where I saw it (about 1 minute in).


And here is the company using it, apparently admitting the plagiarism marketing it as a "Trump The Rocker" logo for all kinds of merchandise!

The Officer Tatum Store

Brandon Tatum's Official Online Store | The Officer Tatum Store - All things Conservative!

www.theofficertatumstore.com

I am almost tempted to call them up and ask them if they have permission to use that logo from the Van Halen band and whether they realize Van Halen could probably sue them big.

Who they gonna call? There is no Van Halen band now.
Last I saw they were looking like a methed-out painters' garage band. Jammin' after work and gettin' high.
Does Sammy get a say, or no?

 

[toobfreak]

Certainly not by Eddie Van Halen brah. I doubt Michael Anthony gives a **** either.
It's just raised block lettering. Be a hard time proving that one.
I doubt the VH guys wanna go out like Metallica did.

Well, I have no doubt that they would win in court and could order Tatum to "cease and desist" use of the logo if they really wanted to. And if not VH, then sued by the graphics designer who actually created it. But I suspect you may be right that in their 70s, they might not care but Eddie has a son in his 30s that has ties to the band that might be very possessive of his father's intellectual property.

 

[Leo123]

Nah, c'mon. A trademark attorney would have no problem proving trademark piracy. Same three bar wings, same V-shape, same block letter graphics, even the V is identical. All they basically did is trade sides with the V and the H then make the H into a T.

Was the Van Halen image copyrighted or trademarked? I don't see either of those symbols on the Van Halen image. Unless registered with the library of congress there is no proof VH has rights.

 

[The Duke]

Here is the video where I saw it (about 1 minute in).


And here is the company using it, apparently admitting the plagiarism marketing it as a "Trump The Rocker" logo for all kinds of merchandise!

The Officer Tatum Store

Brandon Tatum's Official Online Store | The Officer Tatum Store - All things Conservative!

www.theofficertatumstore.com

I am almost tempted to call them up and ask them if they have permission to use that logo from the Van Halen band and whether they realize Van Halen could probably sue them big.

You gonn' sue Officer Tatum? Why?

 

[CrazyTrader55]

I was watching a video here the other day of either Trump at a rally or something about Trump posted by Road Runner and at the start of the video in the corner of the screen, this new Trump/Vance logo caught my attention:

View attachment 1027603

And I thought: Gee! That looks kind of familiar! So I checked, and a very similar design was on the cover of the first two of Van Halen's albums plus an anthology album:


View attachment 1027606

So I have to wonder, is this just a coincidence? Did Trump pay royalties or licensing fees to VH? Or has some graphic artist or the Trump campaign rip off the band?

Will they be suing Trump next? I mean, that design is Van Halen's trademark logo design used on several of their albums!

No case.

Next.

And I love Van Halen as much as the next guy.

 

[toobfreak]

Was the Vah Halen image copyrighted or trademarked? I don't see either of those symbols on the Van Halen image.

Good question. It may have never been legally trademarked but it remains a trademark symbol of the band regardless. When I saw it in the video above, I immediately recognized what it was. It may still be owned by the graphic studio that originally created it.

Thing is, it is actually pretty good whoever thought to convert it to a Trump / Vance yard sign!

Maybe Trump should start playing VH tunes at his rallies.

 

[initforme]

Politicians should be barred from playing music. If I were an artist I'd surely sue.

 

[toobfreak]

You gonn' sue Officer Tatum? Why?

I did not say that. But if I had nothing better to do, I might be interested to call them and ask if they have permission or gave any thought to being sued over it. I mean, look how many artists have already ragged about Trump playing their music or something threatening to sue if he did not stop!

 

[toobfreak]

No case.

There would be grounds to take them to court to stop using it, and a case to sue if the logo is still owned by somebody. I kinda wish the website selling it would have issued a disclaimer about its use to say it is free and clear intellectual property.

 

[Leo123]

Good question. It may have never been legally trademarked but it remains a trademark symbol of the band regardless. When I saw it in the video above, I immediately recognized what it was. It may still be owned by the graphic studio that originally created it.

Thing is, it is actually pretty good whoever thought to convert it to a Trump / Vance yard sign!

Maybe Trump should start playing VH tunes at his rallies.

Yeah, generally one has to prove they created the entity first. In the old days, we used to mail recordings of our tunes to ourselves, thereby establishing a postal date but that did not always uphold in a real legal challenge. If Van Halen has proof of date of creation, and a court agrees, he could charge Trump but, IMO it would be a longshot.