The icing on the cake

Davey · #1 01-16-2007, 09:59 AM

Or not as the case may be...

It's my girlfriend's friend's birthday soon, and she decided that since her favourite cartoon character is Tinkerbell, that she would go and have a picture of Tinkerbell printed onto a cake at a local Asda (Walmart.)

She took a picture and Asda said "Sorry, we can't print that, it's copyrighted" WTF!! Now, it's a grown women so it doesn't matter much, but imagine if that was your kid you were doing it for? crazy. So, my girlfriend decided to stick it to them and ask Disney for permission to print a birthday cake and Disney are now contemplating whether or not to let her!

Is it me or is this world going down the crapper when you can't even get a cartoon character printed on a birthday cake? I think it goes to show the ridiculous extremes in which we now live in.

dragsternj · #2 01-16-2007, 10:04 AM

I assume people not into guitars, would say the same thing about the chinese ibanez guitars.

I think always depends on where you stand, and the company has to protect itself. And yes it kinda sucks

Davey · #3 01-16-2007, 10:08 AM

There is a big difference between copying something and designing something completely different.

In guitar terms, it'd be like having EKG or someone build you a custom Ibanez style or having a chibanez.

Eggy · #4 01-16-2007, 10:13 AM

A couple of years ago the big Asda/Wallmart in Hulme (Manchester) printed a big hash leaf onto a cake for a mate of mine and they had no problems about that.....

....They weren't so keen to put the secret ingredient in it though

Ben

Rotti · #5 01-16-2007, 10:15 AM

It is so studpid. They do the same thing around here. Getting a little carried away I think.

kennydoe · #6 01-16-2007, 10:19 AM

The problem is that if they can do it one time for free, they can do it ten thousand times for free. It's big business you're talking about here.

Tinkerbell is Disney's character and they are entitled to be paid for rights to use their character. I don't think it's ridiculous at all and i don't think it indicates what a crappy world we live in...i can think of about 400 better examples of that off the top of my head

michblanch · #7 01-16-2007, 10:20 AM

My wife's favorite Cartoon Character is Tinkerbell also.
She went to get it tatood on her butt. The tatoo artist told her that he could not do tinkerbell unless he made a few changes due to copywrite laws.

So now when she's nude I have to look at Tinkerbell with a Mustache.

dannymills · #8 01-16-2007, 10:22 AM

That case is ridiculous yes, but you have to realise that protecting these little cases ensures the big cases don't get messed with. If it would be cool to print it on a bday cake, would it be OK to share the cake? Then, would it be OK to charge for each piece? Then, would it be OK to sell the cake? Produce a line of Tinkerbell cakes without license? Shirts with Tinkerbell on?

In a legal system that relies on precedent such as the English common law, these 'petty' cases must be protected lest they begin the start of a slippery slope for things like copyright.

IMHO.

ps. What'd be really cool is if you bought some icing and did a Tinkerbell yourself; girls love it when you go to an effort like that lol! Or edible paper somehow....? Food dye...?

Best of luck with it man!

dannymills · #9 01-16-2007, 10:25 AM

^^ I think we have the same point Kennydoe

. Sorry, I didn't see yours as I posted...

dannymills · #10 01-16-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michblanch

My wife's favorite Cartoon Character is Tinkerbell also.
She went to get it tatood on her butt. The tatoo artist told her that he could not do tinkerbell unless he made a few changes due to copywrite laws.

So now when she's nude I have to look at Tinkerbell with a Mustache.

LMAO!!!!!! Is that anecdotal or actually true?

Davey · #11 01-16-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennydoe

The problem is that if they can do it one time for free, they can do it ten thousand times for free. It's big business you're talking about here.

Tinkerbell is Disney's character and they are entitled to be paid for rights to use their character. I don't think it's ridiculous at all and i don't think it indicates what a crappy world we live in...i can think of about 400 better examples of that off the top of my head

For a start, nobody said for free. Secondly, I can think of another 400 better things too, but this is still ridiculous.

Davey · #12 01-16-2007, 10:27 AM

And BTW, they don't do a Tinkerbell cake, which is why she would have to have one printed.

kennydoe · #13 01-16-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannymills

ps. What'd be really cool is if you bought some icing and did a Tinkerbell yourself; girls love it when you go to an effort like that lol! Or edible paper somehow....? Food dye...?

Best of luck with it man!

Why not dress up like tinkerbell and put some icing on yourself? I'll bet you can get her to lick it off...now THAT'D be a good party!