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Digital and retail have finally come to loggerheads… over a slogan.
Digital specialist Green Man Gaming has taken umbrage over Asda’s new pre-owned offer, which operates under the heading: ‘Buy, Play, Trade.’
The folk at Green Man feel this is too similar to its slogan, ‘Load, Play, Trade’. The firm has now issued a cease and desist to the supermarket giant, barely two weeks after the Wal-Mart-owned retailer rolled-out second-hand to 234 stores.
Sheridans law firm is representing Green Man Gaming. Partner Alex Chapman told MCV: Green Man’s position is that Asda’s use of a slogan which is very similar to its own unique trade-in system is ‘passing off’. When a company like Green Man uses a slogan for a period of time and develops brand recognition around it, it can be very damaging for a larger company to use a similar slogan for a similar business.”
But Asda has shrugged off the allegation. A spokesperson said: We are aware Green Man Gaming has sent a cease and desist to Asda over the ‘Buy, Play, Trade’ name.
Although this is a private matter between ourselves and Green Man Gaming, we feel that our use of the
phrase ‘Buy, Play, Trade’ in relation to pre-owned games has not been historically limited to the use of a single retailer and our slogan is sufficiently different anyway.”
