Okay, so not only was “shock and awe” an awful term, but, in reality, it was a war strategy that was not used (at least not as popularly understood).
That isn’t stopping companies a-plenty from trying to cash in on the term , — especially if they can keep others from doing so.
One day after the start of Gulf War II, Sony rushed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in an attempt to register the phrase “Shock and Awe.” The electronics giant is planning to use the term as the title to a new, combat-themed video game.
Sony is one of 15 businesses that are trying to own the “Shock and Awe” phrase. A Texas pesticide company, an Ohio fireworks firm, a California t-shirt designer, and a New York maker of beer mugs and decorative plates all have filed applications.
The worst may be a Mansfield, Texas man who wants to control the “Shock and Awe” term, whether it’s used to name “inflatable bath toys,” “aftermarket automobile products,” “alcoholic beverages,” “smoking jackets,” or “television programming.”
And, in case you’re wondering, the domain name is locked up, too (and has been since January).
Next up: “Blitzkrieg Beer,” “Saturation Bombing Undergarments,” “Penetration in Depth Condoms,” and “Suppressive Fire Extra-Spicy Nacho Cheese Chips.”
(via BoingBoing)
I want the word Awe back! What a great word it is, and what a horrible thing they have done with it. They can have the word blog in exchange if they’d like, I don’t really care much sbout that one.
Since war is not a video game, shock and awe didn’t work. So, it is appropriate for a video game to have the name.
Sony withdrew their trademark:
News Sony withdraws “shock and awe” trade mark filing
17/04/2003
Sony has withdrawn a trade mark application for the phrase “shock and awe” which was used by US forces to describe the initial bombing campaign in Iraq. Media criticism made Sony abandon its plan to use the term for a PlayStation game.
The application was lodged on 21st March 2003 – only a day after the war began. Some critics pounced immediately on the use of the term in a commercial context as an example of US arrogance; others expressed outrage at the exploitation of a war that has so far killed over 5,000 soldiers and civilians.
In a statement issued yesterday, Sony acknowledged “an exercise of regrettable bad judgement” and confirmed that its subsidiary, Sony Computer Entertainment America, will withdraw the application.
However, Sony is not alone – it’s just the most obvious target for criticism.
The US Patent and Trademark office has received several other applications for uses of the phrase or similar phrases, such as “Battle of Baghdad” and “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, including applications for use with the sale of pesticides, fireworks, lingerie, baby toys, trainers, shampoo and consulting services. The Guardian reports that board games are also planned, called “Conflict Desert Storm II: Back to Baghdad” and “Axis of Evil”.
The phrase “shock and awe” was first used, according to Associated Press, by military strategist Harlan Ullman in 1996, to describe a tactic of pressuring the enemy to give up with little fighting.
How is the filing for a US trademark by a Japanese company an example of “American arrogance”?
Ah, well. For use in a game or some sort of war simulation, it’s somewhat defensible. I don’t feel that a game called “Battle of the Bulge” is somehow opportunistic.
Using it for beer, lingere, etc., is kind of goofy.