Sometimes trolls on here can get a laugh, but the best kind are the real life ones. Not sure if you guys saw this yet but some folks in the LA area made a fake Starbucks store and called it "Dumb Starbucks" and put dumb in front of everything and is using all of Starbucks logos and branding and entire menu. Pretty hilarious...the best part is if you click the first link and scroll down to the "legal FAQ" as Starbucks is obviously going to lawyer up.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/02/09/42085/dumb-starbucks-coffee-shop-opens-in-los-feliz/
http://www.businessinsider.com/dumb-starbucks-los-angeles-coffee-shop-2014-2
This is great. Wonder about the legitimacy of their application of the fair use parody laws though? Ironic how you read about minor infringements by independent shops (such as using similar names of coffees, etc) being pursued and issued cease and desist orders by Starbucks' lawyers, and yet this seemingly blatant "infringement" appears to be completely within the bounds of the law.
I was wondering about that too...will be interesting to see how it plays out. There is a rumor that this stunt has some connection to Comedy Central.
@Anihilist @"Going Concern" From what I've read, everything is free at the 'store' which is why the fair use for parody applies and is not illegal. Lots of stories are leaving this tid bit out. I would not be surprised if this is a Marketing stunt that involves Starbucks.
Another real life troll without trying to be... the Flappy Birds creator? Pulls the game because he couldn't handle the $50,000 per day he was making, on a game that took him 2 days to make.
Haha what a dong
Hmm, are you sure it's completely free? The way the FAQs laid it out was that under the parody law, the shop was actually a "work of parody art", therein allowing Dumb Starbucks to be labeled as an art gallery (of parody) and the coffee to be the art. Perhaps that is all part of the satire of the store or just a legal ploy to buy them time through ambiguity, but what you said seems like it would make more sense (imagining that even under parody law, they aren't allowed to use the brand's logo for profit).
Here is a good article that explains it a bit more: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304104504579373103605668262?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304104504579373103605668262.html
All the drinks that they served this weekend were in fact free.
I wonder who's been subsidizing all that joe...
Can't they have a "gift shop" in their "gallery"?
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