Yoko vs. Kellogg

[SF4-EVER]

LINK (http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/75307p-69575c.html) to story.

Ono, you don't

From breakfast cereals to album credits, John Lennon's widow is making sure the one-time Beatle gets his due.

Yoko Ono has alerted her lawyers that Kashi, an organic-food company owned by Kellogg's, is marketing a cereal under the name "Strawberry Fields." The breakfast giant has filed for a trademark on the name, which recalls the Lennon-McCartney hit "Strawberry Fields Forever."

(Ironically, Lennon once admitted he wrote the tune "Good Morning, Good Morning" after hearing the phrase on a TV commercial for corn flakes.)

Elsewhere:

Lennon's life could soon come to Broadway. A musical based on his solo career is being developed, according to Foxnews.com's Roger Friedman, who reports that Ono has given her approval.

But Ono is not happy that Paul McCartney has flipped the credits on his CDs and put his name before Lennon's.
"As Ringo [Starr] stated, [the disagreement] was going on for a long time, but not in public," she said. "[McCartney] has got a quirk, and we all have some quirks. Everyone knows what the credit is. If he wants to do that in his album, it's not going to change anything."

[SF4-EVER]

To add my personal opinion to this story, I think Yoko may be a bit late in defending this trademark. There's a chain restaurant called "Le Peep" which has a drink named "Strawberry Fields." As far as I know, there's never been any action taken against them for that, and there could be lots of other small businesses using the song title in some way. All companies have to be very vigorous in defending their trademarks whenever they find out about a violation; writers aren't even supposed to use "Xerox" and "Kleenex" as generic terms.

[HMVNipper]

You can't copyright a title, anyway...I'm not sure about trademarks.

On a related note, there's a small local chain of grocery stores here in NYC called "Strawberry Fields," and I can't imagine that Yoko doesn't know about THAT, considering she lives here! And I also think (though this is not a John song) there's a chain of maternity boutiques called "Lady Madonna." If titles could be copyrighted, there'd be lawsuits galore...and there aren't any.

[Rellevart]

Even if you could copywrite a title, there becomes a point when all of this gets a bit silly. We are WAY too litigious (sp?) a society.

[beatlebangs1964]

...life is very short, and there's no ti-i-i-i-ime for fussing and fighting, my friend...

Yeah, it all seems a bit moot at this point.

[ Apr 18, 2003, 03:24 PM: Message Edited By: beatlebangs1964 ]

[jtal909]

Originally Posted By Rellevart:
Even if you could copywrite a title, there becomes a point when all of this gets a bit silly. We are WAY too litigious (sp?) a society.<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Yeah, it's not like they're putting John's face on the cereal box. At least I hope not...

[beatlebangs1964]

I hope not either. This society is
just TOO litigation happy!

[onosideboards]

well, and duh...he STOLE the name from a real place so they would actually own the rights first. it was never his to begin with.

or what about a strawberry patch??? i bet there's hundreds around the world called "strawberry fields."

[Sgt.McCartney]

Grrreeat. (That's all I got).

[shyGirl]

I'm taking this one as a rumor. I think (or hope) Yoko has better things to do than mess with some cereal company.

[HariScruff_00]

before i lighten i i just wanted to add my opinion graemlins/smile2.gif *

La Peeps and the restaurant Use the name- but (if this story is true) they didn't try to trademark the name. Trademarking/owning it is a little more than just using the name. graemlins/thinker.gif IMO

[misslennon_909]

Speaking of foods named after Beatles, at the Hard Rock Cafe, they serve Onion Ringos! Hee hee. But back to the topic at hand. Umm...Boo hoo? I don't think the world will go and break down if there's a cereal named Strawberry Fields. Would John care? Probably not.

[OnlySleeping]

Originally Posted By misslennon_909:
Speaking of foods named after Beatles, at the Hard Rock Cafe, they serve Onion Ringos!<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Haha, that's so awesome! images/icons/grin.gif

About Yoko wanting to sue Kellogg's though... definitely seems a bit trite. I guess she's probably irked though because it says Kellogg's wants to trademark the name.

Hmmm... hmmm... it'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.

[beatlelover45223]

I say "Let It Be" Yoko, if this is true... ohh ohh
am I in trouble for using the above 3 words?
graemlins/laugh3.gif

[beatlz]

But now that Kellogg subsidiary Kashi Co. in La Jolla, Calif., has rolled out a cereal called Strawberry Fields under its Organic Promise label, Yoko Ono (news) has reportedly put a call into her attorneys. Which is understandable, probably, although "all you need is lawyers" doesn't have the same ring to it.

The folks at Kashi, who may be less inclined to chat freely about such matters since they sold their company to Kellogg in 2000, offered its official response in a statement. "The Strawberry Fields trademark has been used and registered in the past by a number of other companies," it reads. The name was chosen "because it best represented its new cereal, which includes large slices of strawberries. The company followed all necessary procedures in applying for this trademark last year."

[StrawberryShorty]

I was at TGIFridays the other day, and they have a new salad called "Strawberry Fields Salad" or something like that, but Strawberry Fields is in the title. I was so tempted to order it just because of the name (and I absolutely LOVE strawberries) but I'm just not much of a salad eater. Hehehe..

I agree with most of you tho on how petty it seems.

[Apple Scruff]

Originally Posted By StrawberryShorty:
I was at TGIFridays the other day, and they have a new salad called "Strawberry Fields Salad" or something like that, but Strawberry Fields is in the title. I was so tempted to order it just because of the name (and I absolutely LOVE strawberries) but I'm just not much of a salad eater. Hehehe..<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">I'm curious to know what kind of salad that would be. Is it a fruit salad, or a regular salad with vegetables and strawberries. THAT sounds nasty (the latter). I mean, I'm all for strawberries, but I don't want them with spinach and lettuce and tomatoes and...oh nevermind, I'm totally changing the subject now. Carry on.

[Ricky Rickenbacker]

There is a sub-divison in my county that is named Stawberry Fields. The streets are named "Penny Lane", Abbey Road, Lennon Ave. and so on. It was built back in the mid eighties. Yoko will just have to grin and bare it!

[MaccaGirl]

Hmm, I know of a few beatles references around here in CO, like the Magical Mystery and Octopus' Garden pizzas at the pizza parlour.

That salad sounds so good, I like the ones at the resturant in Arizona (Tucson) called "Hifalutin", with raspberrys and spinach and vinagarette and walnuts or pecans. MMMMM.

[StrawberryShorty]

Nope, it wasn't a fruit salad, lol, it was an actual salad with strawberries on top. The picture of it actually looked quite appetizing, but as we all know, when they bring it to you, it's another story.

I just got this from TGIFriday's website:

Strawberry Fields Salad *new*
Mixed greens, Parmesan cheese and glazed pecans tossed in balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Topped with fresh balsamic-marinated strawberries, shaved Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. Add a 6 oz. grilled chicken breast for an additional charge.

[alicizmar]

Originally Posted By misslennon_909:
Speaking of foods named after Beatles, at the Hard Rock Cafe, they serve Onion Ringos! Hee hee. But back to the topic at hand. Umm...Boo hoo? I don't think the world will go and break down if there's a cereal named Strawberry Fields. Would John care? Probably not.<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">John? i think hed find it TERRIBLY funny! graemlins/laugh2.gif
*like i do*
they have onion RINGOS over there?o geez...do they have lemonade over there?cuz if they did theyd probably call it LENNONADE!!! graemlins/laugh5.gif
ok..bad joke.... images/icons/frown.gif

[ Apr 26, 2003, 12:04 PM: Message Edited By: alicizmar ]