T-Shirt Design

[pliesINyoTHIGHS]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey

I want to design a shirt based on a song lyric. The song lyric names the brand "Gucci" and in order to incorporate the lyric I have to reference the brand. I assume minor alterations to the Gucci logo (i.e. reverse the logo, change the colors, etc.) or simply spelling out "Gucci" (no use of the logo) would violate the Gucci trademark. Are my assumptions correct? Is there any way I can design my shirt without violating the trademark?

 

[CSO286]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey

I want to design a shirt based on a song lyric. The song lyric names the brand "Gucci" and in order to incorporate the lyric I have to reference the brand. I assume minor alterations to the Gucci logo (i.e. reverse the logo, change the colors, etc.) or simply spelling out "Gucci" (no use of the logo) would violate the Gucci trademark. Are my assumptions correct? Is there any way I can design my shirt without violating the trademark?

If simply spelling out the gucci name violated the trademark, then you've already done so several times over.

Don't use their trademark and you won't have anything to worry about.

A trademark is different than referencing the brand name.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey

I want to design a shirt based on a song lyric. The song lyric names the brand "Gucci" and in order to incorporate the lyric I have to reference the brand. I assume minor alterations to the Gucci logo (i.e. reverse the logo, change the colors, etc.) or simply spelling out "Gucci" (no use of the logo) would violate the Gucci trademark. Are my assumptions correct? Is there any way I can design my shirt without violating the trademark?

You not only have to worry about trademark infringement in using the name Gucci on your tee shirt, you need to worry about copyright infringement in using the song lyrics, unless you wrote the song yourself.

 

[pliesINyoTHIGHS]

If I spell the word "Gucci" in a different font without the brand logo and do not spell out the song lyric would I have avoided violating the Gucci trademark and song copyright? For example, if the lyric were "Gucci from my head to my toes" and the design was a man next to the word "Gucci" spelled vertically.

 

[Zigner]

If I spell the word "Gucci" in a different font without the brand logo and do not spell out the song lyric would I have avoided violating the Gucci trademark and song copyright? For example, if the lyric were "Gucci from my head to my toes" and the design was a man next to the word "Gucci" spelled vertically.

Gucci wouldn't be happy.

Maybe you need to come up with your own idea...

 

[quincy]

If I spell the word "Gucci" in a different font without the brand logo and do not spell out the song lyric would I have avoided violating the Gucci trademark and song copyright? For example, if the lyric were "Gucci from my head to my toes" and the design was a man next to the word "Gucci" spelled vertically.

Get permission from both the song's copyright holder and from Gucci and you are good to go. Without permission, you can be faced with lawsuits for both copyright infringement and trademark infringement.

You cannot (generally) legally capitalize commercially on the creative works or brand names of another.