From today's Telegraph we learn that French carmaker Peugeot has failed in its attempt to force independent car dealers to redecorate their forecourt colours in Peugeot corporate blue. The 260 independents complained through the National Franchised Dealers Association to the Office of Fair Trading in February, pointing out that it would cost them an average of £25,000 each to do the respray, which might result in the unwanted consequence that car-buyers, seeing them as Peugeot dealers, would be deterred from buying other makes of car they were selling. Now that the OFT has upheld their complaint, Peugeot has conceded that its 'blue box' livery is not mandatory but merely "highly recommended".
The IPKat is delighted with this outcome for two reasons. First, dealers can paint their forecourts whatever colour they want, freee from the shackles of what appears to be mindless corporate conformity. Secondly, Peugeot's blue will be associated principally with Peugeot and not with the sale of rival makes of car, thus making the colour more distinctive of that company's products. This might be handy when it comes to registering the col0ur as a trade mark or preserving the validity of such a registration.
More on the blues here, here and here
The IPKat is delighted with this outcome for two reasons. First, dealers can paint their forecourts whatever colour they want, freee from the shackles of what appears to be mindless corporate conformity. Secondly, Peugeot's blue will be associated principally with Peugeot and not with the sale of rival makes of car, thus making the colour more distinctive of that company's products. This might be handy when it comes to registering the col0ur as a trade mark or preserving the validity of such a registration.
More on the blues here, here and here
... WHILE SHADES OF BLUE PREVAIL
![... WHILE SHADES OF BLUE PREVAIL]()
Reviewed by Jeremy
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Wednesday, August 11, 2004
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