Red Cross (TM)

A heart warming story of capitalism at its best. Perhaps J&J should consider a somewhat more creative logo instead of slapping a copyright on a symbol that has been used for thousands of years. But no...

From the Wall Street Journal:

Johnson & Johnson filed suit against the American Red Cross and some of its licensing partners claiming the charity misused the cross design that is its signature emblem, which also appears on J&J's first-aid kits and bandages.

The health-care products company alleges that the Red Cross licensed the eponymous design to for-profit companies that sell medical products -- such as first-aid kits and hand sanitizers -- and infringed J&J's trademark. The suit was filed yesterday in Southern District Court in New York.

In the suit, J&J asked the court to have all licensed products with the red-cross emblem destroyed and to permanently enjoin all sales of products bearing the emblem on first-aid, safety-preparedness and related products. The New Brunswick, N.J., company also seeks punitive damages and payment of its legal fees. J&J said it tried for several months to resolve the issue with the Red Cross, but that those efforts failed.

Wall Street Journal: Red Cross Is Sued by J&J Over Signature Emblem

Its funny, but the only product I can think of which uses the red cross are Band-Aid's, which I didn't even know was a J&J brand until I read this article.