Is it legal to use an established brand in your email id as [e-mail] or [e-mail]?

Question

e.g. An Organization dealing with multiple brands or businesses might like to receive emails related to a specific brand to a specific email id (to segregate and better manage its mails), like [e-mail] or [e-mail], [e-mail], etc.?

DO YOU THINK THAT FOR THE RECENT ADVERTISEMENTS OF DELL, ADVERTISING TO MAKE YOUR CUSTOMISED PCs BY VISITING ON ITS WEBSITE viz. www.dell.co.in/toi (for advts in Times of India) or www.dell.co.in/et (for advts. in Economic Times) WERE PUBLISHED AFTER TAKING THE CONSENT FOR USING THEIR RESPECTIVE BRANDS?

Answer 1

Will you go to prison? Probably not.

Will you be sued? Probably not without an opportunity to mend your ways.

Will you get a "cease and desist" letter from the brand owner's lawyers? Increasingly likely, as there are more and more crawler systems on the market seeking trade mark abuse.

Are you entitled to use an e-mail address [e-mail]? No. This is a prima facie case of "passing off". You could ultimately be sued for any income you make from a "passing off" activity. That is income, not profit.

Can you use brand names in your site metatags? No, this is also potentially "passing off".

It is always best to get approval from the brand owners before generating any income on the back of their names or logos.

Answer 2

As per my opinion (I am not aware about legal aspect) you can use a brand if it is a any word in any language or a name or family name of many persons like Honda, Birla(family name), reliance( its a word in English language) but you cannot use like reliance industry(as it is a registered firm name) and Birla Cement( It is a brand of cement).

Answer 3

If you're an authorized dealer / reseller, I wouldn't expect any practical problem, but you should at least review your contracts and it it's unclear, get a written approval from the brand owner.

Answer 4

No you need prior permission from the owner of the brand, otherwise you are liable to be sued under copyright protection.

Every brand name is the property of its owner (trademark) and and using it without permission is a criminal offence. You can even be sued for fraud or cyber phishing (fake identity). So please be careful

Answer 5

NO.

You cannot use trademarked names in your business unless you have permission from the trademark holder.

examples are you local (let's say chevy dealer) may have and use the chey name and logo in their advertising because they are a authorized chevy dealer.


You let's say as a car dealer with no affiliation with any car maker, cannot use the chevy logo as it sis copyrighted and or trademarked.

Research copyright and trademark laws carefully before you proceed.

Answer 6

It is very Grey...My opinion is that it does not due the the nature of use. That does not mean the company will not send you a nasty letter requesting your ceasing to use. In that case, don't fight it just cancel the account.

Answer 7

Yes,provided you have the consent of the brand owner and have some arrangement with him/them.

Answer 8

Of course You can do it. But it is no good sign for Your future users, because You don't have an own Site and Address!

Answer 9

Yes, you can, subject to availability.

You can use your brand name as your domain too. Nobody like to use some one else brand name as their id or domain.

Answer 10

I HOPE YOU KNOW THE MEANING OF "BRAND" IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REGISTERED WITH TRADE MARK DEPARTMENT AGAINST SOME BODY APPLYING FOR IT, AS SUCH YOU CANT USE THAT UNTIL YOU ARE WORKING WITH THEM. AND WITH PRIOR PERMISSION FROM THAT AUTHORITY. I HOPE ITS CLEARS YOUR POINT.