Amazee vs. Amazon

Zurich, Switzerland
Resist Amazon!
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amazee amazon

    It's about YOU - vote

    Amazon claims that the average consumer is likely to confuse AMAZON with AMAZEE. We think that Amazon is wrong. We believe that YOU and all other consumers are well capable of separating between Amazon and Amazee.
    But that's just us, and that is why we want your opinion! Please join this project (you have to sign up to contribute) and give us your honest opinion in the poll: http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/poll And of course you can drop us a line in the discussion area: http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/area

    And since Amazee likes to take a sportive approach to challenges, we will give away a 100$ Amazon voucher at the end of this lawsuit (=as far as our small budget takes us, whatever the outcome). Every member of this project will take part in the drawing!

    Mmmh, interesting...

    As most of our readers will know, we are still in negotiation with Amazon regarding the use of our beloved Amazee brand. Now, check out this trouvaille that Marco discovered in Dess/Lumpkin/Eisner’s book “Strategic Management – Creating Competitive Advantages”.

    “For example, a large company with a strong reputation that is challenged by a small or unknown company may elect to simply keep an eye on the new competitor rather than quickly react or overreact. Part of the story of online retailer Amazon’s early success is attributed to Barnes & Noble’s overreaction to Amazon’s claim that it was “earth’s biggest bookstore”. Because Barnes & Noble was already using the phrase “world’s largest bookstore”, it sued Amazon, but lost. The confrontation made it to the front page of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon was on its way to becoming a household name.”

    Getting right, claiming right… looks like Amazon has a busy track record in brand management.

    Amazon against Amazee

    For the last few months Amazon's lawyers have been urging us to stop using Amazee as our brand. While the attorneys representing their Luxembourg subsidiary are demanding the deletion of Amazee in the Swiss trade mark register (nota bene after waiting for the opposition period to expire and therewith provoking a costly court procedure) their US attorneys have filed an appeal against the registration of Amazee in the US. Our peaceful and cooperative efforts to reach an amicable solution have not born any fruits.

    Deutsche Informationen findest du in dieser Spalte unten!

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    Amazon from the river

    Jeff Bezos named the company Amazon after the world's largest river. Or, in his own words: "People wonder, Is it the jungle, the female warriors, or the river? It's the river. Earth's biggest river, Earth's biggest selection."

    Amazee from amazing

    Amazee is derived from the word "amazing". We want to empower individuals and organizations to create amazing projects that change the world!

    What is Amazon's fear?

    Now, why should the world's largest online retailer fear that YOU and other consumers confuse AMAZON with AMAZEE or in other words take an "ON" for an "EE"? Their IP department says:

    "... the mark AMAZEE is not a natural derivative of “amazing”. Amazee is a coined term where the dominant portion of the mark brings to mind Amazon, not “amazing”."

    Hm. The brand name Amazon is better known than the english word amazing? Well, at least they show great enthusiasm for their company.

    Amazon vs. Amazee

    Seit ein paar Monaten finden wir uns in die Ecke gedrängt, von niemand geringerem als dem Online-Kaufhaus Amazon. Sie mögen unseren Namen nicht und gehen nun in der Schweiz und den USA gegen unsere Marke vor.

    Sollten sie Erfolg haben, dürfen wir Amazee nicht mehr verwenden und müssen einen neuen Namen finden! Gemäss Amazons Anwälten besteht zwischen Amazon und Amazee eine akute Verwechslungsgefahr und deswegen möchten sie uns den Gebrauch unseres Namens verbieten. Das wollen wir natürlich nur ungern hinnehmen! Wir möchten deshalb, dass ihr eure Stimme erhebt für uns: Bringt die Story unters Volk, erzählt sie euren Twitter-Followers, euren Freunden, eurer Familie!

    Zeigt eure Unterstützung auch in diesem Projekt, in dem wir euch up to date halten. Und weil wir's sportlich nehmen, verlosen wir unter allen Projektmitgliedern einen Amazon-Gutschein. Einfach dem Projekt beitreten und ihr seid dabei.

    Wir sehen absolut keine Verwechslungsgefahr der beiden Marken. Unser Name bezieht sich auf das englische Wort "amazing" (erstaunlich), sie entleihen sich ihren dem grossen Amazonas. Wir haben nicht vor, euch irgendwann Bücher oder CDs zu verkaufen.

    Darüber hinaus ist natürlich augenfällig, dass die Firmenlogos deutlich unterschiedlich sind. Und, last not least: Wir sind bei weitem nicht so bekannt wie Amazon. Aber wir wollen eure Meinung hören: Bitte meldet euch hier zu Wort, z.B. im Diskussionsbereich http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/area oder in der Abstimmung http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/poll.

    Updates from the case...

    RSS

    What's new?

    05/07/2009 03:58pm by Amazee System

    Well, nothing much, esteemed reader. We have a couple of media responses to add to the list, but apart from that there are no news. Amazon seems to be taking their time, and so are we. Every day we wake up with the name Amazee on our web site is a good day. We'll keep you posted!
    Digital Media Wire (USA)
    http://bit.ly/c6sJD
    ethority (Germany)
    http://bit.ly/eARzb
    TechFluff (UK)
    http://bit.ly/J0WXj
    Netwoche (Germany)
    http://bit.ly/DqrH1
    Swissinfo.ch (Switzerland)
    http://bit.ly/u0RpW

    Thanks again to everybody for your continuing support!

    Comments

    We're back at the table!

    04/28/2009 09:37pm by Gregory Gerhardt

    For the first time after we made this case public, Amazon called today to take up discussions again. And thanks to your support there are some good news! As it (currently) looks, Amazon's lawyers will DIScontinue their action against our Swiss trademark. The bad news is that the objection against the registration of our US trademark (which is as important to Amazee's identity as the Swiss brand) will be continued. However, we achieved a first milestone in a possibly lengthy trial - and we owe it to nobody else than you! I'll keep you posted on the further progress of our negotiations. Thanks again, Gregory

    Comments

    A new day...

    04/24/2009 07:51pm by Dania Gerhardt

    We never would have expected so much interest and support from the blogosphere and media! Now the buzz is slowing down, but we still have a few new posts for anybody interested:

    Handelsblatt (Germany)
    http://bit.ly/Tet8m
    Markenblog (Germany)
    http://bit.ly/UGo9n
    Alltagskakaphonie (Germany)
    http://bit.ly/pzprF
    datensicherhet.de (Germany)
    http://bit.ly/XmaPI

    Comments

    The latest posts and news

    04/23/2009 09:18pm by Dania Gerhardt

    It's not stopping. Here are the latest blog posts on our case. Thanks once more to everybody for all the supportive words, the advice, the intros and more! This really proves us that we are right!

    Techdirt (USA)
    http://bit.ly/o0KO4
    Ecommerce Journal (USA)
    http://bit.ly/lsis4
    Presse kostenlos (Germany)
    http://bit.ly/KkfBe
    Telekompresse (Austria)
    http://bit.ly/k59Jb
    ...and many more with the same titles or in a language we don't understand ;)

    Comments

    More Press! (Who would've thought?)

    04/23/2009 12:12am by Mathias Möller

    Again, in no particular order, things that have been coming in during the day.

    PCtipp (Switzerland):
    http://bit.ly/UAt3Z
    heise online (Germany):
    http://bit.ly/VlPcw
    NZZ (Zurich; great piece of old school journalism):
    http://bit.ly/hEdJM
    Persönlich (Switzerland):
    http://bit.ly/GP4Qo
    Glocalist (Germany/Austria):
    http://bit.ly/uNyMi
    Blippitt (USA?):
    http://bit.ly/yfjOS
    Elui (Switzerland):
    http://bit.ly/bmsD2
    TechChannel (Germany):
    http://bit.ly/FuHDg

    Thanks!

    Comments
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    @_ricola Kannst du demnächst auf Amazee lesen, ich sag dann gern Bescheid. :)
    07/28/2010 10:21am

    @_ricola Kannst du demnächst auf Amazee lesen, ich sag dann gern Bescheid. :)

    @maddiexo_ ahh, catch up time soon my lovely <3 hope you had an amazee time :') xxx
    07/28/2010 09:20am

    @maddiexo_ ahh, catch up time soon my lovely <3 hope you had an amazee time :') xxx