Citigroup Trademarks "ThankYou" and sues ATT (it's partner) For Thanking Clients

[Tay]

This one is one of those... "hmmm" situations.

ATT & Citigroup have partnered up for a co-branded Citigroup credit card called the "AT&T Universal Card". Apparently Citigroup didn't like AT&T, it's partner, Thanking customers and sued them - their partner!

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Banking giant Citigroup has trademarked "THANKYOU" and is now suing technology giant AT&T for how it says thanks to its own loyal customers. This is "unlawful conduct" amounting to wanton trademark infringement, Citigroup claims in its federal lawsuit.​

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For many years, Citigroup has used trademarks consisting of and/or containing the term THANKYOU, including THANKYOU, CITI THANKYOU, CITIBUSINESS THANKYOU. THANKYOU FROM CITI, and THANKYOU YOUR WAY, in connection with a variety of customer loyalty, reward, incentive, and redemption programs (collectively, the "THANKYOU Marks").​

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In its lawsuit, the financial institution says AT&T is infringing Citigroup's intellectual property because of AT&T's brand new marketing campaign (PDF) connected to AT&T's co-branded, Citigroup credit card called "the AT&T Universal Card." AT&T is illegally marketing the phrases "thanks" and "AT&T THANKS," Citigroup claims. This "is likely to cause consumer confusion and constitutes trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and unfair competition in violation of Citigroup's rights," the suit says.​

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Because of "AT&T's unlawful conduct," Citigroup wants unspecified damages and is demanding that a federal judge block this alleged illegal marketing campaign. In its lawsuit, Citigroup said everybody knows that the "THANKYOU Marks" are synonymous with Citigroup.​

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As a result of Citigroup’s longstanding, extensive, and widespread use, marketing, and promotion of its THANKYOU Marks and services, Citigroup’s THANKYOU Marks are widely recognized by the general consuming public as a designation of source for Citigroup’s high quality financial services and customer loyalty, reward, incentive, and redemption programs.​

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Not to be outdone by Citigroup, AT&T in April applied (PDF) to trademark "AT&T THANKS." Citigroup wants that trademark to be rejected because it thinks that proposed trademark is "confusingly similar to Citigroup's "THANKYOU Marks," according to its lawsuit.​

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Source: Citigroup trademarks “THANKYOU” and sues AT&T for thanking clients​

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[Ryuzaki]

This is straight out of Idiocracy.

It was one thing when Paris Hilton was trademarking "That's Hot," an obvious publicity stunt. But these guys are serious and they are corporations.

I just recently rewatched Idiocracy and one of the best parts is to notice all of the corporate slogans.

"If you don't smoke Tarrlytons... Fuck You!"
"Welcome to Costco... I Love You."
"Carl's Jr: Fuck You! I'm eating."​

Now add Citigroup... "Thank You."

"Yeah but guys we only use the version with all caps." You're still an idiot, Citigroup.

 

[miketpowell]

To me this kind of stuff is just the legal field enriching themselves.

Everyone knows it's a bunch of BS. But if judges just threw this stuff out immediately and fined the company trying it, then how would the legal profession extract a ton of money out of all of us?

Make whatever laws you want, the legal field will still force you into useless litigation where both sides are forced to pay a bunch of lawyers a ton of money.

Just look at how often judges actually award damages for frivolous lawsuits. We keep making the laws to try to prevent them but the legal profession has ZERO interest in a system that punishes people that want to harass others by paying lawyers.

 

[Jarred]

Just like the developers of No Man's Sky getting sued by Sky TV for having the word "sky" in the games title. It's nuts.