Lucasfilm Sues Star Wash Company For Plagiarism
In a galaxy not so far away, Star Wash, a Chilean car wash on the outskirts of Santiago, finds itself wrapped up in a legal battle with Lucasfilm over alleged capitalization on the Star Wars franchise.
Lucasfilm is moving forward with a lawsuit asserting that the car wash’s name could mislead consumers into thinking it is affiliated with the Star Wars franchise.
Using social media, Star Wash recently gained international attention thanks to its engaging marketing strategy, employing workers dressed as beloved Star Wars characters such as Chewbacca and Darth Vader to clean vehicles. The visually striking approach garnered significant traction on social media platforms, eventually drawing the ire of Lucasfilm.
Lucasfilm claims that Star Wash is plagiarising the brand the production company has been building up over the past 46 years. In response, Matias Jara, the owner of the car wash company, is diligently working to register his brand with the Chilean patent authority to separate it from the American production company. However, this has encouraged Lucasfilm to move forward with a lawsuit asserting that the car wash’s name could mislead consumers into thinking it is affiliated with the Star Wars franchise.
In addition to using characters from the franchise to promote his brand, the font and color scheme of his car wash company are taken directly from the Star Wars films.
Jara’s legal team, undeterred by the legal action, contends that their client is vehemently contesting the lawsuit. They argue that the name “Star Wash” is distinct enough to avoid any confusion with the popular sci-fi franchise. Furthermore, they assert that the Lucasfilm copyright, which primarily covers various products, does not extend to car cleaning services.
If it were all in the name, Jara’s lawyers might have a point. After all, Star Wash could have an entirely different brand image separate from Star Wars, except Jara has made it obvious the name of his company is inspired by the galaxy far, far away. In addition to using characters from the franchise to promote his brand, the font and color scheme of his car wash company are taken directly from the Star Wars films.
Despite the legal storm, Jara and his legal team are resolute in their position. They admit that Star Wash is more than just a catchy name; it’s a playful nod to the Star Wars universe and they’re hoping to use it to carve out a unique identity in the market.
Jara’s inspiration for the business name reportedly originates from a wordplay brainstormed by his young daughter during a family visit to a Disney theme park in the United States. The whimsical connection to the iconic franchise is a central part of Star Wash’s branding strategy, though, Jara protests, in a very legal way.
The car wash’s legal team assert that the Lucasfilm copyright, which primarily covers various products, does not extend to car cleaning services.
Star Wash’s legal defense hinges on the argument that its car cleaning service operates in a distinct market from the Star Wars franchise. Jara’s team is challenging the notion that the car wash infringes upon the Star Wars brand, emphasizing clear conceptual and market distinctions.
As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of Star Wash hangs in the balance. Currently, the company is continuing operations as usual and hoping to emerge from the legal quagmire with its unique brand intact. Disney and related properties are known for going after copyright infringement and the big corporation usually wins, the outcome of this dispute could set a precedent for the boundaries of intellectual property and the extent to which pop culture references can be incorporated into business branding.
Source: Reuters
