National Pork Board sends C&D to Thinkgeek for "canned unicorn meat"

Yes, I'm a bit slow with posting this one, but it's suitably hilarious for a Friday. Thinkgeek received a cease and desist from the National Pork Board who claimed that they were infringing on the slogan "The Other White Meat" with their April fools ad for Canned Unicorn Meat - it's sparkly.

Luckily, the Sisters at Radiant Farms, where the unicorns are nursed through old age before being slaughtered, canned, and brought to market at ThinkGeek, have nothing to worry about--this kind of use is protected as a parody. (We're hoping the NPB doesn't tell the Sisters that unicorns don't actually exist; it'd break their little sparkly hearts.)

I'm off to hide in the sites inner workings & code now, because I'd like to get working on the improvements you adgrunts suggested a.s.a.p - thanks for all the input guys! Keep it coming.

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AlphaSquirrel's picture

Eh, not to stand up for the absurdity of legal action over unicorn meat, but my understanding is that's all about demonstrating that you're protecting copyright.

I'm sure the legal team is playing it extra- extra- extra-safe, perhaps ridiculously so. Reason, the way I understand, is that if NPB doesn't act, someday down the road, say, the National Fish Council can start using "the other white meat" claiming that, "well, NPB is letting everybody do it." I think I remember hearing about Apple doing something similar a while back ....

Explanation is oversimplified (and perhaps not entirely accurate), And yes, they're taking it to an extreme. But I honestly don't believe, as many commenters about this story seem to, that NPB thinks that this is a real product that is a real threat.

Reznut's picture

Perhaps they were doing it to Thinkgeek in particular just to go out with a bang. They've changed that tag now haven't they?