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Another lawsuit for Vibram...

Discussion in 'Biomechanics, Sports and Foot orthoses' started by Griff, Feb 11, 2015.

  1. Griff

    Griff Moderator

  2. oh dear. "We didn't mean THAT Bikila"...
     
  3. I think Vibram is going to lose big on this one. Try doing a Google search on "Bikila" to see if that word comes up relative to anyone else named "Bikila".

    Serves them right....:butcher::boxing::cool:
     
  4. Maybe, but how much did they make by using that name/ by making the claims they made compared to how much they stand to loose, will they still make a net profit from those shoes? Bet they do.
     
  5. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    This is really dumb from the Vibrams side. I can't believe that there was no one at Vibrams or their lawyers who raised the red flag and actually thought that they should get the family's permission to use the name, let alone trademark it.

    But, then again look at their track record. They have a "scientific/medical" advisory committee that either advised them that there was scientific evidence to support the claims that they were making or failed to raise a red flag that there was no evidence to support the claims that they were making that there was "ample evidence". There was none then and there still isn't. 10 published formal systematic reviews of all the scientific evidence from people of different backgrounds and in different professional journals shows that. I guess that is what happens when you appoint "fan boys" to your 'advisory group' who then parrot what you want to hear.
     
  6. Just a calculated risk- they will have still made more money than they lost by employing that marketing strategy.
     
  7. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    Was it a "calculated risk" or did no one really think that they should have asked the family's permission to use the name?
     
  8. I think they lost on this one, especially if they have to pay out 12 million $$$. I'll bet Bikila's son would have sold his name rights to them for much less than 12 million $$$. I agree with Craig. Vibram is going to get a lot of negative publicity from this one. Here you praise Abebe Bikila on one hand for his barefoot running accomplishments, then you steal his name to make millions of dollars on your own five-toed shoe. What kind of company would do that? One with no class, that's who.
     
  9. Lab Guy

    Lab Guy Well-Known Member

    Vibram has a Lot of class; all low.

    Steven
     
  10. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    I just went looking for any sort of response or statement on this from Vibram's and there has not yet been one yet. BUT, I did find this in a previous press release from Vibrams regarding the settlement that they reached when they sued Fila over their Skeletoes:
    They happy to do what it takes to enforce their rights .... too bad about trampling on the Bikila's family over the rights to his names.

    Paradoxically the Bikila shoe is featured prominently on their home page and the last Tweet they made was for the Bikila shoe .... I would have thought regardless of what they think about the merits of this suit, that they should at least give the shoe a lower profile in the short term
     
  11. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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    I just did another trek around the traps ... very unusual that Vibram have not issued a statement on this one still.
     
  12. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

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  13. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
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    Press Release:
    Lawsuit over use of barefoot marathoner's name is dismissed
     
  14. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
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