Echo1 banned from ShotShow

[Boyso]

SHOT Show officials are banning the ECHO 1 USA booth on the show floor. They are escorting the entirety of Echo 1 personnel from the site of the 2012 show because of a temporary restraining order from CYBERGUN S.A. and FN Herstal.The ban is the alleged result of two lawsuits filed against JAG/Echo1, first in Texas on January 10, and the second filed on the opening day of SHOT Show, January 17. The lawsuits allege that Echo1 is infriging upon the copyrights owned by F.N. Herstal, and contracted out to Cybergun. SHOT Show respresentatives are allegedly working on a statement, but confirmed that Echo 1 was being closed down after the presenters of the SHOT Show were told of a restraining order from CYBERGUN representatives on Friday morning.The JAG Precision/ECHO 1 USA booth was blocked from view by curtains, while Echo 1 employees, including Brian Holt, were dismantling their booth.


Here are two links with the intensive legal information
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/nev...cv00074/85371/
http://www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuits/t...ision/summary/

Source : http://www.airsoft-squared.com/post/...shot-show-2012

[R.I.T.Z]

Wow.
Well hopefully this gets sorted

[Slow]

It was because of a SCAR that Echo1 had on display.

[Gato]

Heh, not like anything was lost, Echo 1 is crap :P

[Drake]

ECHO1 has a lot of rebrands, just like Cybergun, which may explain why Cybergun is going after them rather than manufacturers.

[kalnaren]

Echo1 is also American based, like Cybergun. A lot easier to enforce there.

[Shatter]

I thought Cybergun was French?

[SuperCriollo]

Looks like cybergun' dirty buisness policies have not changed a bit. What happened with the cybergun boycot?

[Short Round]

Originally Posted by SuperCriollo

Looks like cybergun' dirty buisness policies have not changed a bit. What happened with the cybergun boycot?

Not the first time this has happened, Umerax did the exact same thing to companies in previous years at Shot Show

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by Najohn

Not the first time this has happened, Umerax did the exact same thing to companies in previous years at Shot Show

I'd say that those companies did it to themselves

a company who has spent the money to license trades has every right to protect their property.


good on Cybergun for standing up for their rights over companies that flaunt the law.

[Blackthorne]

Originally Posted by SuperCriollo

Looks like cybergun' dirty buisness policies have not changed a bit. What happened with the cybergun boycot?

Cybergun spent allot of money to secure licensing from specific manufacturers for marketing purposes and to avoid litigation (FN is just one example). Regardless of any practices, they have every right to defend those licensing agreements.

Originally Posted by Shatter

I thought Cybergun was French?

Cybergun group is based out of France but have offices (via acquisition) all over the world.

Not nonly was JAG/Echo1 making replicas with no manufacturing licensing, they were marketing them at the show as licensed.

Scarecrow and I were at the Cybergun booth when a fellow walked up, handed off a badge and passed JAG brochures to the Palco guys lawyer. Hilarity obviously ensued.

[PrIeSt]

Servs them right for knocking off someones product. then flaunting it at the same show.

[Dimitri]

I think Cybergun is in the right. If they have the airsoft rights to the brand, you cannot complain if they go after you.

If companies are willing to actually license their brand name (such as FN) in this case, and your not willing to compete for the license, then you cannot expect that the licensee and licenser will take to kindly to it.

Dimitri

[Augiedoggy18]

It's good to see people take a logical and reasonable approach to this whole situation. Cybergun never wants to go after anyone, but they will to protect the licensing agreements they sign.

JAG/Echo1 has been flaunting knockoff goods for years, and this time it cost them. If a company has rights to trademarks and trade dress then I think it's fair to go after those outfits that knowingly import and sell counterfeit goods.

[Crunchmeister]

Regardless of what people think of Cybergun, they actually paid for the right to use these trademarks. Echo 1 haven't and are trying to flog guns with "illegal" trademarks at a gun trade show. I'm not sure how they could have expected it to turn out any better.

Like really, if this was a car show and someone showed up selling a knockoff Ferrari at 1/4 of the price, but it had all the Ferrari trademarks on it, would people consider that acceptable?