by Daniel Johnson
February 13, 2024
City Intellectuals Founder and CEO Freddie Taylor accused JCPenney of potential copyright infringement in a Fb Dwell stream.
City Intellectuals Founder and CEO Freddie Taylor accused JCPenney of potential copyright infringement in a Fb Dwell stream posted on Feb 8. As reported by Black Information, Taylor’s accusation stems from JCPenney’s use of the phrase “Making My Ancestors Proud One Dream At A Time” on their shirts, which bears similarity to City Intellectuals trademarked slogan of “Busy Making My Ancestors Proud.”
Throughout the Dwell video, Taylor stated, “This isn’t nearly a slogan on a t-shirt; it’s concerning the systemic disregard for the mental property of small, Black-owned companies. We’ve fought arduous to construct a model that uplifts and educates our group, and to see our work co-opted with none regard is each maddening and saddening.”
Taylor continued, “It’s nice that they wish to give again, however how will you take from the very group you’re seeking to help? This isn’t help; it’s exploitation wrapped in a veneer of charity.”
Taylor’s accusation attracts extra consideration to the apply of bigger, extra common manufacturers or celebrities inside the style or retail world taking components from or outright stealing the work of smaller, Black-owned companies or creators. It is usually allegedly not the primary time JCPenney has been accused of copyright infringement over its style designs. In 2016, Burberry sued JCPenney after the Plano, Texas-based firm saved promoting jackets and scarves that the corporate claimed infringed on the copyright of its “Burberry verify” sample. In accordance with Reuters, Burberry and plenty of different luxurious style producers typically sue over copyright infringement as a result of they don’t wish to lose gross sales, buyer goodwill, or harm their reputations.
In 2022, the Duluth Buying and selling Co. sued JCPenney for describing certainly one of its merchandise as a “longtail” T-shirt, which Duluth stated violated its copyright. They sued JCPenney for copyright infringement and unfair competitors. As reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, in 2011, they despatched a letter to JCPenney explaining their causes for the swimsuit, “J.C. Penney’s use of Duluth Buying and selling’s LONGTAIL T trademark on an identical product is very prone to trigger confusion or mistake and to deceive the general public, which has come to affiliate the LONGTAIL T mark with our consumer.” Just like its apply with Burberry, the retailer continued to market its shirts as “lengthy tail tee shirts” regardless of the grievance from Duluth.
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