Jupitermedia CEO Alan Meckler
Internet Advertising Bureau Goes Ballistic
The Internet Advertising Bureau, a supposedly non-profit organization (that is run like a for-profit company) filed a legal action the other day against MediaPost.com.
The fellow who runs the IAB has had dealings with Jupitermedia over the years and all of those dealings came close to several legal actions.
I could never understand how a non-profit organization basically wanted to compete with for-profits. The attitude of the IAB drove our company into becoming a happy member of the Online Publishers Association.
I am sure this legal action will get settled. In the meantime if I was a member of the IAB I would want to know why my dues were being used for legal matters.
Here's the announcement of IAB's filing:
Interactive Advertising Bureau Files Lawsuit against MediaPost Communications Charging Trademark Infringement Friday February 18, 2:12 pm ET
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 18, 2005--The Interactive Advertising Bureau
(IAB) today filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against MediaPost Communications and its affiliate Fadner Media Enterprises, LLC, alleging unauthorized use of the OMMA (Online Media Marketing and Advertising) trademark jointly owned by IAB and MediaPost.
As alleged in the lawsuit, the OMMA trademark was initially created to represent the collaboration between IAB and MediaPost formed in June 2004 for the purpose of co-producing the 2004 Interactive Advertising World, which included the OMMA event. The lawsuit charges that subsequent to dissolution of the collaboration, MediaPost has been engaged in actions inconsistent with the parties' joint ownership of the OMMA mark, including filing an application to register the OMMA mark solely in the name of Fadner Media Enterprises, LLC ("Fadner Media") with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
"The continued use of the OMMA trademark confuses the marketplace by suggesting that there is an ongoing relationship between IAB and MediaPost with a perceived co-production of their industry events," said Greg Stuart, president and CEO, IAB. "After several failed attempts from the IAB and its Board of Directors to dissuade MediaPost from using the trademark, we were left with no other option than to seek relief from the courts. We hope for a quick resolution in this matter."
In the promotion and development of its September 2005 MIXX Conference, Expo and Awards Show, IAB will not be using the OMMA trademark.
The IAB seeks permanent injunctive relief restraining defendant from using the OMMA mark in any further communications or public announcements without the IAB's prior written consent.
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