Is it really wise to antagonize the Good Lord? He has, according to the Scriptures, shown an occasional penchant for large-scale destruction.
So why would anyone, let alone a vast electronics retailer, wish to demand that one of his shepherds change his ways? In the case of Best Buy, it seems that the company decided that this one particular shepherd has a mission that steps onto its own hallowed ground.
Father Luke Strand, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, is a man who believes that humor and advertising are vital components in ministering to his flock.
So he decked out his VW Beetle with a logo in black, white, and orange. The logo reads “God Squad.”
One can imagine that, in the often-dark and dreary lands of Wisconsin, this car raises both an eyebrow and a laugh. Unfortunately, it affected the eyebrows of the larger wigs at Best Buy.
Father Strand, who is currently ministering at the Holy Family Catholic Community in Fond Du Lac, Wis., was perhaps slightly surprised when Best Buy sent him a cease-and-desist letter, which told him that the company believes he is infringing on its trademark.True, the God Squad logo does mimic its Geek Squad counterpart rather closely. But there might have been those who would be flattered that God’s earthly representative would make reference to a mere retailer of electronic gadgets and the occasional racy DVD. However, Paula Baldwin, who ministers at Best Buy’s public relations department, insisted that the company must pursue all trademark infringements, lest it allow its logo to fall into trademark purgatory.
I believe that Christians have been called God Squad since before Best Buy had a Geek Squad.
Great trademark for an exorcism business but the logo would need a little work.
It’s obviously a parody of the geek squad but no one in their right mind would confuse the two. The co-opting by Christians of corporate logos has been going on as long as I remember. By making a big deal about it Best Buy only gives the group free advertising. If they let it go now they’ll look less like jerks in the future.
I could use their help. My bible has some nasty spyware on it. Something called ‘natas666′.
I’m actually hoping Best Buy sues the hypocrite moron’s ass off and LOSES.
Why do these nut jobs have to steal someone else’s logo / etc… They already have one of the most recognizable logos on the planet.
“I believe that Christians have been called God Squad since before Best Buy had a Geek Squad.”
Yes, but did they trademark it?
And besides, Best Buy has more lawyers than god. What’s god gonna do, send down his son Thor to crush them? What? Oh you meant some OTHER god…sorry. My god can beat up your god!
#7–halfglass==old joke about God and the Devil having a dispute about where the fence between heaven and hell should be. The Devil was quite cocky, seems he had all the legal talent on his side.
“I believe that Christians have been called God Squad since before Best Buy had a Geek Squad.” [citation needed]
If anyone has a legitimate claim here it’s the Mod Squad.
Oh, how cute…. A religious organization is stealing… absolutely adorable.
Face it – theft is theft. If an IP owner wishes to NOT have their property stolen, that is their right. Just because somebody steals that IP in the name of their particular flavor of a god does not make that theft right, or cute, or a compliment, or anything other than THEFT.
Religion needs to learn to stop stealing from other people as if they served a higher calling.
Render unto Cesar what is Cesars===and don’t misappropriate either.
> but no one in their right mind would confuse the two.
Sure – one is a bunch of idiots that have no real answers but act like they have the secret to everything and will save you if you pay them enough money.
The others a bunch of religious nuts.
They’ve definitly had god squad since long before the geek squad. But they did steal the geek squads logo.
Do the ministers wear blue vestments?
Almost as good as the cease and desist order from the National Pork Board to ThinkGeek.com over the use of the phrase “the new white meat” in their April Fools Day product Canned Unicorn Meat.
http://tinyurl.com/32h6aht
As a Christian, I apologize for my idiot brothers and sisters who lack creativity and feel like they have to spoof things to be ‘relevant’. It’s embarrassing, sad, and not productive in the slightest.
#16 I agree! It’s a lame spoof at best.
God forbid I, as a Christian, would have to go through with the spoof and wear awful polyester pants and a short sleeve dress shirt with pocket protector. No thanks…
God’s penchant for wiping out people in the Old Testament pales in comparison to the atheist states of the past 100 years. 1000 to 1 by most estimates.
Cesar? I assume you are trying to make a connection with Gaius Julius Caesar which still isn’t the way the most famous Roman would have written it. Most moderns neither know nor care so I guess you get a pass.
Parody is not plagiarism. That case has already been ruled on by the courts.
Not the first logo “borrowed”
http://google.com/images?hl=en&q=jesus%20coke%20logo&rlz=1B5_____enUS352US352&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1366&bih=577