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Plant-based marketing campaign uses Steve Jobs & faces potential conflict with Apple

Steve Jobs famously had a fruit-based diet

A new marketing campaign aims to promote plant-based diets and convince people to stop eating meat, and uses Steve Jobs' famous slogan, but it may get pushback from Apple.

Eat Differently, a newly established LLC describes itself as a "public service resource." As part of its mission, it has funded the placement of 29 billboards throughout San Diego, featuring prominent figures such as Jobs, Paul McCartney, Greta Thunberg, and Cesar Chavez, among others.

In the spirit of the initial campaign, Eat Differently intends to pay tribute to historical and contemporary icons who inspire people to embrace a different way of thinking and eating and contribute to a movement that drives humanity toward a more promising future.

"In the 90's, Apple launched one of the most prolific and poignant advertising campaigns in modern history, Eat Differently says on its website. "The 'Think Different' campaign highlighted luminaries throughout history and correlated their extraordinary 'thinking' with brilliance. We noticed that many of these luminaries featured in the campaign had a common thread — they ate differently."

The incorporation of Steve Jobs into the campaign is likely a reference to the renowned Apple co-founder's well-known dietary preferences. He was a vegetarian for most of his life and primarily ate fruits, nuts, and seeds.

The campaign also quotes Jobs, who once said, "The dairy industry tried for 20 years to convince you that milk was good for you. It's a lie, but they tried anyway."

Apple is known for vigorously safeguarding its trademarks. For example, the company has sought exclusive rights to all representations of apples due to its distinctive logo. It remains uncertain whether Eat Differently's campaign, spotted by iMore will encounter challenges from the company.



28 Comments

Anilu_777 8 Years · 579 comments

JP234 said:
Well, it's a blatant trademark infringement, and an unauthorized reproduction. But it's also a well-intentioned tribute to Jobs and vegetarianism.

If I was making the decision, I'd let this one slide. Unless other companies started doing it too. Then, I'd get the lawyers involved.

Tribute or not, it’s a blatant infringement on Apple’s “Think Differently” campaign and there’s no indication that they’re using Jobs’ likeness with family permission. 

jimh2 8 Years · 670 comments

JP234 said:
Well, it's a blatant trademark infringement, and an unauthorized reproduction. But it's also a well-intentioned tribute to Jobs and vegetarianism.

If I was making the decision, I'd let this one slide. Unless other companies started doing it too. Then, I'd get the lawyers involved.

The problem is you cannot let any of them slide for doing so weakens your position to stop them in the future. Litigating each and everyone if they will not remove the infringement puts other companies on notice to not even think about it.

waveparticle 3 Years · 1497 comments

This seems like Steve Jobs has been elevated to the status of George Washington. 

anonymouse 15 Years · 6976 comments

Anilu_777 said:
JP234 said:
Well, it's a blatant trademark infringement, and an unauthorized reproduction. But it's also a well-intentioned tribute to Jobs and vegetarianism.

If I was making the decision, I'd let this one slide. Unless other companies started doing it too. Then, I'd get the lawyers involved.
Tribute or not, it’s a blatant infringement on Apple’s “Think Differently” campaign and there’s no indication that they’re using Jobs’ likeness with family permission. 

Apple didn't have a "Think Differently" campaign, they had a "Think Different" campaign. The real problem here would be using Jobs likeness without permission, if they have not obtained that.

Still, I'm not sure Jobs is the poster boy they want since he died at the young age of 56 from cancer. 

mikethemartian 18 Years · 1493 comments

Anilu_777 said:
JP234 said:
Well, it's a blatant trademark infringement, and an unauthorized reproduction. But it's also a well-intentioned tribute to Jobs and vegetarianism.

If I was making the decision, I'd let this one slide. Unless other companies started doing it too. Then, I'd get the lawyers involved.
Tribute or not, it’s a blatant infringement on Apple’s “Think Differently” campaign and there’s no indication that they’re using Jobs’ likeness with family permission. 
Apple didn't have a "Think Differently" campaign, they had a "Think Different" campaign. The real problem here would be using Jobs likeness without permission, if they have not obtained that.

Still, I'm not sure Jobs is the poster boy they want since he died at the young age of 56 from cancer. 

Did Apple have to get the approval of the families of Einstein, Picasso, Gandhi, etc. to use their likenesses in their commercial?