We all know Donald Trump is a presidential hopeful, has been a savvy business man and somehow always manages to make or stay in the news. This time however it is not his doing. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has come up with a mascot which bears a striking resemblance to a famous Disney duck, but with the slight variation of Trump’s blond mop of hair. The mascot is called “Donald Ducks” and will be used by the committee to jeer at the presidential candidate regarding his undisclosed tax returns. The mascot will follow Trump to all his campaigns and will be making appearances in his rallies.
Now the question here is whether the DNC had obtained prior approval for the creation of the mascot or not. It is not clear whether such permission was taken, but it seems unlikely. The possibilities of Disney allowing the usage of its Intellectual Property against a particular candidate seem bleak, as a large company like Disney will not endorse or criticize a candidate with such blatancy. So assuming that Disney did allow this DNC most definitely faces both trademark and copyright risks.
Disney, like any other large company has never shied away from opposing any potential infringers. Disney has always adopted a fierce IP protection strategy in the past especially when it comes to its cartoon characters. For instance, not too long ago Disney sued the operator of a business for copyright and trademark infringement as he was selling “unlicensed and counterfeit edible cake frosting sheets and related items, which incorporate unauthorized likenesses of animated or live-action characters or other logos” related to Marvel and Lucas Films. Disney also did not hold back when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had included Snow White in an Academy Award ceremony without its prior permission. Furthermore, it did not even spare a day care centre which was ordered to remove images of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy painted on its exterior walls.
So it would not be a complete shock if Disney comes after the DNC, considering it not only a violation of its intellectual property but also a direct jab at its reputation. Well, let’s wait and see how this ends, it might not have a happy Disney ending though.
Authored by- Anchita Sharma
The image is in Public Domain.
