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Victory for the little man - Supermacs v McDonalds

Harry Palmr

and Supermacs is the winner, and in being so has ended McDonalds copyright on Big Mac across EU

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/15/mcdonalds-loses-big-mac-trademark-legal-battle-supermacs

Pat McDonagh earned the nickname Supermac as an Irish teenager after a barnstorming performance in a Gaelic football match in the late 1960s.

The centre half-back guided his school, Carmelite college of Moate, County Westmeath, to victory over St Gerald’s, a more fancied team.

On Tuesday, half a century later, McDonagh prevailed in a different arena when his fast-food chain, Supermac’s, won a landmark legal battle against McDonald’s over the use of trademarks.

The Galway-based firm persuaded the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to cancel McDonald’s use of the “Big Mac” trademark, opening the way for Supermac to expand across Britain and continental Europe

Obviously the UK market could be a non runner in all this as they are leaving, so they may not have the pleasure of a Supermac Big Mac.

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DrumSteve

Harry Palmr wrote: »

and Supermacs is the winner, and in being so has ended McDonalds copyright on Big Mac across EU

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/15/mcdonalds-loses-big-mac-trademark-legal-battle-supermacs

Obviously the UK market could be a non runner in all this as they are leaving, so they may not have the pleasure of a Supermac Big Mac.

I would not like to the their lawyer right now... losing the big mac trademark? How did they manage that?

trixi001

How is there a supermac's in Derry if he can't open them across the UK?

Atlantic Dawn

w/s/p/c/

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Who needs the Big Mac, when you've got the Big Mick !!

Cienciano

Fair play to him, big win against a huge company.

MarkR

I don't understand how McDonald's lost "Big Mac" as a trademark. They obviously use the name every day of the week, it's not like it's a legacy item.

i71jskz5xu42pb

I hope they have not lost the trademark on Le Big Mac™ as well

Sebastian Dangerfield

Has the trademark of "Big Mac" by McDonalds been cancelled as the article reports, or just McDonalds opposition to the use of the Supermacs brand outside of Ireland?

I find the article confusing... "“This is a victory for all small businesses. It prevents bigger companies from hoarding trademarks with no intention of using them.” Is someone suggesting that McDonald's does not utilise the "Big Mac" trademark?

Sir Oxman

It's unclear but I thin k it may be the 'Mac' part
McD objected to Supermac's outside Ireland?

AlanG

From past cases McDonalds had objected to the name Supermacs because it was too close to their brand based on the MAC in big mac. Its not that others can use the name big mac as such but its just that big mac is no longer so well protected as to stop anything similar being used for any burger or fast food related product. I think it come down to the difference between image rights and a trade mark. Similar to when Virgin cola brought out a can that looked very similar to Coke.

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApU_FTV25fM

[Deleted User]

This is nothing unusual for big corporate companies to try to eliminate anyone with similar names.
McBully recently tried to stop a family run fish & chip shop in Scotland from bening called McDonalds (family name) despite the fact that the chipper looked nothing like the classic McD's resturant.

BMW also forced a number of Car repair firms to remove the word Mini in their names, despite the fact that they specialised in repairing/restoring the old classic minis.

Tigerandahalf

Food is poor in Supermacs. This guy also seems to stick an advertising hoarding (mobile) in some field on approaching roads into towns.
I don't know if he has planning or he just pays a farmer for it.

Muckka

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Food is poor in Supermacs. This guy also seems to stick an advertising hoarding (mobile) in some field on approaching roads into towns.
I don't know if he has planning or he just pays a farmer for it.

The fish and chips are good.
I'll give them the benifet of that doubt.

AMKC

I honestly could not care about and would not miss these two companies if they both disappeared tomorrow but fair play to Supermacs for taking on Mcdonalds. I however would not eat in either of them. I see Donald Trump eats Mcdonalds do.

kneemos

Supermacs ruin shoite food.

MacDonald's at least add a bit of flavour to their crap.

DubInTheWest

The chicken breast sandwich can be hit or miss, but when it's good it's very very good, depends on who's making it. Good win for them I'm glad.

JohnnyFlash

Can’t beat a snackbox with garlic sauce after a feed of pints.

Ash.J.Williams

Supermacs are not the "little man" nor do they have anything in common with the "little man"

Allinall

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Food is poor in Supermacs. This guy also seems to stick an advertising hoarding (mobile) in some field on approaching roads into towns.
I don't know if he has planning or he just pays a farmer for it.

Have to disagree.

I think it’s quite tempting and tasty.

James Brown

McDonalds trademarking the Snackbox, (which isn't even on their menu) was just dirty. Delighted for Culchie burger.

RMAOK

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Supermacs are not the "little man" nor do they have anything in common with the "little man"

I'd agree with that to the extent that in the Irish market, Supermac's are a big player. But on the international stage they'd be considered small fry in comparison to McDonald's

tomoliver

Have the cows commented yet?

their the major player in all this

Purple Mountain

tomoliver wrote: »

Have the cows commented yet?

their the major player in all this

They have said they are very mooved by the ruling.

punisher5112

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Food is poor in Supermacs. This guy also seems to stick an advertising hoarding (mobile) in some field on approaching roads into towns.
I don't know if he has planning or he just pays a farmer for it.

Some of the worst food I've ever had.

Oil tastes Shiite.

The signs in fields are on old trailers so that they get around planning laws as if they are asked to move they move it a bit and that is enough till they have to go through the process to get it moved again.

Lots of companies using this.

Same idea to buses on the road with advertising once they are moving/moveable it's fine.

rossie1977

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Supermacs are not the "little man" nor do they have anything in common with the "little man"

In comparison to McDonald's they are
Supermacs annual revenue €157 million
McDonald's annual revenue $22.8 billion

Guy:Incognito

mikemac2 wrote: »

Mike Rowe was a young Canadian guy with an interest in software

Got a slapping by the Microsoft goons

People using deliberate rip off names or soundalike know exactly what they're at and what will happen. Do you think youd have ever heard of him without Microsoft getting involved ?

Franz Von Peppercorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This is nothing unusual for big corporate companies to try to eliminate anyone with similar names.
McBully recently tried to stop a family run fish & chip shop in Scotland from bening called McDonalds (family name) despite the fact that the chipper looked nothing like the classic McD's resturant.

BMW also forced a number of Car repair firms to remove the word Mini in their names, despite the fact that they specialised in repairing/restoring the old classic minis.

To be fair they have to protect their trademark. And giving in once causes a precedent.

whisky_galore

tomoliver wrote: »

Have the cows commented yet?

their the major player in all this

'Steakholders' you could say...

whisky_galore

There's a lad with takeaways in co cork and limerick called McDonal's.