Disney Sues Clowns over Costumes

Rodney 23 Comments

Disney sure knows how to put the SUIT in lawsuit. Tigger and Eyore suits that is. Apparently an infringement on their copyright is no laughing matter, and if you buy knock off costumes and run a clown entertainment business with them, you are going to get the ghost of Walt haunting you in your sleep - or a lawyer.

This couple got the latter.

Local6News says:

The couple paid more than $500 for costumes on eBay from a company in Peru and advertised the characters online.

“We bought two characters that to me is an orange tiger and a blue donkey,” Marisol Perez-Chaveco said.

About a week later, Disney wrote the couple a letter, claiming the costumes were unauthorized reproductions of Tigger and Eeyore. In the letter, Disney made seven demands, and the couple complied, Local 6 News reported

First let me say that I fully support companies that defend their copyright. They have to. Even the little guys. If they send a clear message that no one is safe from their legal team, that gives value to their brand. They SHOULD go after people like this.

So how is it that they complied with their terms and still face a million dollar lawsuit? They didnt “really” comply with all the demands.

The demands were simple. Take down ANY reference to our characters on all promotional materials and just to make sure you are not still doing this on the side, they asked that the costumes be sent to Disney so they can destoy them.

Instead the couple contacted the suit seller and arranged a refund.

I honestly had a little pity when I heard the big bad mouse was ruining their livelyhood, but frankly this couple couldn’t be stupid enough to think that this purchase was “just an orange tiger and a blue donkey” when they bought the costumes.

And when Disney’s lawyers called them out on this, they should have toed the line and thanked their lucky stars that it was just a list of demands.

But they were ignorant in buying the non licensed suits, and further ignorant in not complying with the demands. What could have been a $500 loss, turned into bankruptcy.

Don’t mess with the House of Mouse.

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  • Regina

    what does your car have to do with kids parties??? Trust me… I don’t want your car… :-)

    Someone buys a knockoff hand bag… are they getting sued by Louis Vuitton?? Seriously?? People buy & sell knockoff handbags at parties… no one gets sued… they don’t sell them as official handbags.

    When these people do parties, they don’t say that it’s “tigger” or “pooh”… they call them the orange tiger and the yellow bear (I guess)… as I said, they are not exact replicas just as the handbags aren’t … and they are not marketing them as such…

    What about the mpg players that look like Ipods… Apple didn’t sue them for making something that looks like an ipod… it’s NOT an Ipod…

    I think I am going to hire a character for my sons next party, now that I think about it. Will I be sued as well?? Trying to trick kids at his party into thinking that the real Mickey Mouse came to the party… am I going to be sued for not putting TM at the end of his name??

    • http://www.thestub.ca Rodney

      Your squirming rationalizations are just falling apart with your repetition and exaggeration. Especially when you reply so carelessly illustrating you didn’t even read my post.

      YES, MP3 players that look exactly like iPods ARE ripoffs, and if sold in the US are subject to the same laws that got these clowns sued. You fail.

      Not ONE of those kids is going to say “hey look its an orange tiger” they all scream with glee and shout TIGGER! in unison. Don’t kid yourself.

      Its infringing on their copyright and no matter what half assed ignorant excuse they gave to the local news crews, they KNEW they were buying a Tigger costume. BECAUSE it was a Tigger costume.

      Learn your laws Regina. Even this close of a similarity is an infringement on copyright and trademarks no matter what excuse you use to play dumb about it.

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