Copyright Issue, Pink Ribbon Asap Please :-)

Business By karateka Updated 15 Jan 2009 , 8:29pm by FlowerGirlMN

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karateka Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 4:25pm
post #1 of 8

Does anybody know whether the pink breast cancer ribbon is copyright protected?

I got a call from a lady I'd like to answer, but I don't know whether that would raise copyright issues.

7 replies
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amielyn Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 4:46pm
post #2 of 8

I just did a Google search, and it is copyrighted by the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

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__Jamie__ Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 5:05pm
post #3 of 8

I think that's amazing. A piece of pink ribbon laying flat on a counter is "just a piece of pink ribbon". Now, pick up the ribbon, twist it over on itself....now it's a copyrighted object. Go figure.

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Narie Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 5:15pm
post #4 of 8

I found this on the web.

Quote:
Quote:

The pink ribbon considered world wide to be an international symbol for breast cancer. The pink ribbon is ubiquitous, or seeming to exist everywhere at once, and be omnipresent. No one company or organization or foundation owns the rights to this worldwide symbol. However, individual pink ribbon designers can hold all rights reserved on their copyright, for example Avon has its own, as does Estee Lauder.


This implies that a specific drawing of the Pink Ribbon can be copyrighted. But the the generic use of the pink ribbon is not. So making pink ribbon cookies would not infringe on someone's copyright.

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karateka Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 5:52pm
post #5 of 8

Awesome! Thanks everyone.

I also found a website where a lady had created free shareware with pink ribbons for breast cancer. She says anyone can download it and use it without fear of copyright infringement. So I guess I could also say it was hers, right?

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FromScratch Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 6:51pm
post #6 of 8

I think the only thing that would warrant a complaint by the Natl. Breast Cancer Foundation would be if you decided to make the pink ribbon the symbol for your cause as well.

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__Jamie__ Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 6:52pm
post #7 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkalman

I think the only thing that would warrant a complaint by the Natl. Breast Cancer Foundation would be if you decided to make the pink ribbon the symbol for your cause as well.




Ah, good point!

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FlowerGirlMN Posted 15 Jan 2009 , 8:29pm
post #8 of 8

I'm not even necessarily sure that's the case.

There are several ribbon colors that are used by multiple causes, as I recall.

Yellow Ribbon, for instance, is for Suicide prevention, "support the troops", Testicular Cancer, Endometriosis, and even for a missing girl.

Blue is for prostate cancer awareness, against child abuse, various gastrointestinal diseases (crohns, colitis, cancer), etc.

Know what I mean?

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