Dear Customer, Subscriber, Reader, Surfer, or fellow Promoter: what, in your view, is fair play in business?
Are you fully aware of copyrights, trademarks, unfair competition and other legal matters – be they offline in the “real world” or online in the “virtual world”?
Here at BookBlast® CIC we have noticed – especially since the pandemic – that there has been a steep rise in self-published authors and promoters, self-styled philanthropists and small business operators, all sharing information, selling books and/or their services, and fund-raising by cybersquatting and indulging in other “passing off” activities using our registered trademark. We prefer to assume they are acting out of ignorance or indifference, rather than intentional disregard or willful violation.
Their intention is clear, however: to boost visibility online, attract email sign ups and/or followers on social media and sales, gain credibility and unfair business advantage.
Why are we unhappy about this?
Fair Play and Good Business Practice
BookBlast® CIC (Community Interest Company) comprises a portfolio of creative book businesses offering a range of services, including promoting of books, authors and translators, both live and online, as well as their publishers, via the webzine BookBlast® Diary, our Podcast and Book Club; curating Special Events; affiliating with bona fide online book retailer bookshop.org among other partners; and digital publishing of selected titles by international authors represented by BookBlast® legacy agency.
We have been using our company name “BookBlast” in connection with publishing, writing, agency and marketing services continually since 1997, both here in the United Kingdom and in the United States. The first website went live in 2000. A significant amount of time, effort and financial resources have been invested to establish BookBlast’s reputation in the literary world, thereby gaining a high level of trust and credibility.
To protect this reputation, the associated trade mark “BookBlast®/bookblast®” has been registered in three forms in the UK since 2008. It is also the subject of United States Trade Mark Registration which dates back to 2009. Copies of the registration certificates (classes 35 and 41) are readily available.
We do business not only in the UK but also in the USA and across Europe since we review books and interview writers and publishers active in those territories, and beyond. Our website visitors and webzine subscribers are from the USA, UK, China, Singapore, Brazil, Germany, India, France, Canada, Australia.
BookBlast®/bookblast® — Trademark Enforcement
Over the years we have actively ensured that our rights are not infringed and our trademark is not misused, to prevent the public from being deceived. It is essential that customers, subscribers, surfers, even fellow promoters, can have confidence that anything bearing the BookBlast® trademark and characteristic Logo is a quality BookBlast® brand product, service, authentic recommendation, or original intellectual property. We have on several occasions taken successful action (including litigation) to stop such unauthorised use an infringement in both the UK and the USA.
All we ask is that there should be fair play and the possibility for consumers to make buying decisions on an informed basis.
Please do CONTACT US if you have an enquiry or wish to discuss licensing.
What is a Copyright?
A copyright is an exclusive right to make or distribute copies, by any means, of original written and artistic materials. This exclusive right includes the right to make copies in a computer memory.
All content on the BookBlast® C.I.C. website is protected by copyright held by the original creators, and must not be copied in full or in part unless express permission is given.
What is a Trademark?
A trademark is a word, symbol, design or logo that distinguishes the goods of one company from those of another company. A trademark is also used to show the endorsement or approval of the trademark owner for materials bearing the trademark. A trademark generally indicates a good standard of quality of a product and/or performance of a service.
A trademark registration affords the owner the exclusive right to use the trademark and to grant permission to others to use it.
Universal awareness that creative products, services, authentic recommendations, and original intellectual property deserve better protection is fortunately increasing.
Please see our TERMS OF USE for citing sources and giving credit. These have been drafted to assist Internet users who wish to refer to our webzine and podcast for non-commercial purposes, or who wish to enquire about our other book-related services.
BookBlast®/bookblast® — our Logo or any derivative thereof may not be used on an Unofficial Website
As already stated, we have worked hard to make BookBlast® a symbol of quality and original intellectual property, book-related services and authentic recommendations. We cannot risk allowing the distinctiveness of this symbol to be diluted. We therefore insist that the BookBlast® logo NEVER be used in any form on an unofficial web site.
Unfortunately, on rare occasions certain sites have blatantly “passed off” their activities using “BookBlast” or “bookblast” in a manner leading to confusion about whether they are sponsored or authorised by BookBlast® CIC, duly negotiated and resolved. Deliberate use of a registered trademark without applying for a licence or contacting the intellectual property holder is unethical. In the same way, for example, that to fundraise for schoolbooks for kids as a charitable endeavour through a profit-based limited company which is a subsidiary of a corporation, and to not disclose what percentage of the donations go towards administration costs, is unethical.
Proper Use of the BookBlast®/bookblast® Trademark on a Web Site
BookBlast® may be used to reference our products, services or business in a non-commercial and supportive manner, as long as the trademark is not unduly emphasised or used in a way that can lead a visitor or customer to mistakenly believe that the site is sponsored or authorised by BookBlast® Limited. If needs be an appropriate disclaimer can be displayed: “BookBlast® is a trademark of the company BookBlast® Limited which does not sponsor, authorise or endorse this site”.
The BookBlast® Trademark cannot be used in an Internet Address
The BookBlast® trademark should not be incorporated into an Internet address since Internet addresses have become useful tools for people to identify the source of a homepage. Using “BookBlast”, “bookblast” or any derivatives thereof in the domain name would create the misleading impression that BookBlast® Limited sponsored the homepage.
BookBlast® — FAQs
We hope that this notice will address the most frequently asked questions about using the BookBlast® trademark and copyrights. Most Internet users want to respect these rights, but are not always certain about what is permissible. The Internet provides a great new opportunity for immediate worldwide communication allowing everyone’s voice to be heard.
We believe that any product, service, authentic recommendation, original intellectual property and trademarked word, symbol or design should be protected against copying for as long as it is produced and marketed. And that it should be possible to stop such copying and other infringements easily. We also believe that designs, company names and trademarks should not be used in unrelated settings without the owner’s consent. We appreciate the interest shown in our company and services and the authors, translators and books promoted by us, and fervently believe that reading can change your life.