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August 11, 2005
FedEx Fuming Over Boxy Furniture
From the Wired News story, Furniture Causes FedEx Fits:
Most of us have been there. You can just barely afford to pay the rent. But forget about buying furniture -- not if you want to eat, anyway. . . . But instead of scouting street corners for a ratty, unwanted couch, [an innovative guy] got creative and built an apartment full of surprisingly sturdy furniture -- out of FedEx shipping boxes.
The creator of FedEx furniture has posted a blog, and an entire website devoted to his works. So, you think FedEx would be pleased. After all, this is proof that their boxes are VERY sturdy, right? Not really.
Apparently FedEx has sent a letter insisting that the furniture itself, along with the internet website and the pictures violate the copyright and trademark rights held by FedEx. The letter even claims that the actions fall within the purview of the DMCA. Luckily, the creator is represented by the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society who sent this letter in response.
While I am not familiar with the entire dispute, my guess is that FedEx doesn't want people using their "free" boxes for anything but FedEx shipping. However, I think claiming copyright and trademark infringement is an unproductive way of stopping poor folks from using boxes for furniture.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 08:59 AM.
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Why can't FedEx look at this as a branding opportunity, such as the hacking of Google Maps? Sponsor contests; "What can you make out of a FedEx tube?" or "here is a stack of FedEx shipping material, make a house" FedEx made that leap from noun to verb long before Google, yet Google knows how to work it.
Posted by: Norm at August 11, 2005 02:22 PM
