Environmental Group Sues Honda, Ad Agency for Trademark Violation

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 23, 2009; Environmental group Save the Earth Enterprises, Wednesday sued American Honda Motor Co. and its advertising agency, Rubin Postaer & Co., for using its "Save the Earth" trademark without permission in Honda's recent advertising campaign for the Honda Civic.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, seeks to recover Honda's profits from the ad campaign and to stop future use by Honda of the Save the Earth trademark.

"The Honda ad campaign confused people into thinking that we endorsed Honda or were affiliated with Honda. We aren't affiliated with them and don't endorse them," said Save the Earth Foundation Neal Pargman.

Pargman noted that he has been selling merchandise bearing the Save the Earth trademark since 1972 and holds a U.S.-registered trademark. Honda's commercial, showing several uses of Save the Earth trademark, used the Foundation's trademark without permission, and ignored cease-and-desist letters from the Foundation.