When is a Ping not a Ping? When its an Apple

The latest big announcement from Apple brings with it a great example of trademark protection in action.  Its a good one to use with students, since it illustrates the potential commercial value from licensing a trademarked-brand name.

For the golfers amongst you, the brand name Ping is associated with a leading product range of premium-priced golfing equipment.  But for 160 millions users of Apple’s iTunes service, Ping will soon become even more familiar as the name of Apple’s new social network.  Apple’s Ping is a music-based social network which many commentators are predicting will finally kill-off Rupert Murdoch’s MySpace social network (we’ll see).

So who owns the trademark Ping?  Ping does (that’s the golf club producer).  But they’ve spotted an opportunity to earn substantial income by allowing Apple to use the name for its new service.  Is this a smart move - Ping obviously think so - though they are keeping quiet about how much they have asked Apple to pay for the right to use the trademark name.

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