NIKE abducts Minor Threat imagery, logo; puts on Skate-Tour
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[Jun 24,2005 10:30am - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
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http://www.punknews.org/article.php?sid=12949&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
Dischord says Nike stole Minor Threat artwork
Contributed by an Anonymous Source, Posted by aubin on Thursday, June 23, 2005 at 7:31:46 PM (EDT)
According to this story, multi-billion dollar shoemaker, Nike has stolen the legendary artwork of hardcore pioneers, Minor Threat. Destined for a campaign called Major Threat, the style and iconic imagery was used for the advertising and done so without the permission of Washington, D.C. based indie Dischord. The label owns the copyright on both the recording and artwork. When asked by Pitchfork, the label had this to say with regards to permission:
No, they stole it and we're not happy about it. Nike is a giant corporation which is attempting to manipulate the alternative skate culture to create an even wider demand for their already ubiquitous brand. Nike represents just about the antithesis of what Dischord stands for and it makes me sick to my stomach to think they are using this explicit imagery to fool kids into thinking that the general ethos of this label, and Minor Threat in particular, can somehow be linked to Nike's mission. It's disgusting.
Dischord is currently evaluating it's options, and you can click Read More to compare the artwork for yourself.
Update: We asked attorney and pastepunk.com editor Jordan Baker if he could give us some of his insight into the situation. Jordan had this to say:
Among the intellectual property rights that are at issue I think it's very clear that Nike has made a derivative work out of Minor Threat's copyright in its cover art. Nike might argue that this is a parody, but I fail to see what kind of social commentary Nike is trying to make in its graphic in relation to the original Minor Threat art, and generally parody is no defense for this kind of commercial appropriation.
(Keep in mind that this is not legal advice and that you should consult a lawyer if you want professional assurance that the information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.)
[Jun 24,2005 10:37am - Josh_hates_you ""]
i love minor threat. i am going to vomit.
[Jun 24,2005 10:43am - the_reverend ""]
fucking chrissssists!
[Jun 24,2005 10:56am - DreamingInExile ""]
wow, that's low...
[Jun 24,2005 11:23am - dan_bloodblister ""]
powder is gonna be so pissed when he sees this
[Jun 24,2005 11:38am - Dissector ""]
So they're making straight edge shoes?
[Jun 24,2005 1:38pm - KillerKadoogan ""]
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just pretend that little guy on the shoe is ian mackaye
[Jun 24,2005 1:39pm - KillerKadoogan ""]
but seriously, fuck nike
[Jun 24,2005 2:58pm - mOe_RK_nli ""]
wow....just........wow
[Jun 24,2005 4:16pm - blue ""]
dude, that fucked. seriously.
[Jun 24,2005 5:17pm - hanlon ""]
Who would think that a company built on third world slavery would go so far as to appropriate art? I really can't believe they would go that far.
[Jun 24,2005 5:58pm - a no no ""]
can't they get away with it since alot of the image is altered from the original?
[Jun 24,2005 8:06pm - BobNOMAAMRooney ""]
Skate or Die, Skate or Die, DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE
[Jun 25,2005 1:34am - Joe/NotCommon ""]
Who cares? It's a gay sneaker that fags are going to buy who won't even know who Minor Threat is.
[Jun 25,2005 10:59am - infoterror ""]
BUY ASICS
[Jun 25,2005 11:08am - Joe/NotCommon ""]
New Balance is where it's at son