Does Ford still have rights to the Mercury name?

[Plum Ranger XLT]

I got to thinking this earlier today that does Ford still have rights to the Mercury name IF Ford decides to bring the Mercury nameplate back for vehicle production?

 

[Josh B]

Copyrights can be very lengthy, they can also be interpreted in many differing ways. It not being an original coining of the term, they may have a time defending it on some grounds, but not as an automobile, not for quite some time anyway

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I doubt mercurys ever coming back.

Atleast as its own brand anyways.

Mercurys were slotted in fancyness between ford and lincoln. With as fancy as fords can get nowadays (and expensive) theres no room really between ford and lincoln

 

[rubydist]

The answer to the original question is "yes" - generally they have up to 20 years to use the names again before the ownership lapses.

 

[sgtsandman]

I doubt mercurys ever coming back.

Atleast as its own brand anyways.

Mercurys were slotted in fancyness between ford and lincoln. With as fancy as fords can get nowadays (and expensive) theres no room really between ford and lincoln

Yeah, the upper end of Ford and the lower end of Lincoln pretty much eliminated the need for Mercury.

GM ditched a few brands as well but I think that was more because they had such a glut of brands and the lines were so burred between them.

Chrysler did the same thing with Plymouth before they got bought by Daimler-Benz.

 

[RonD]

Edsel Ford introduced the Mercury model in 1938

They should bring it back because I like to say "merc" , "It's a Merc"
Which doesn't work for the outboards, or the planet, well just doesn't fit a planet, merc, venus, earth.........no, doesn't work

And Quicksilver is just too cool a name to use mercury or "merc" instead

And "Merc" for Mercury the Roman God, to informal

"Merc" just has to be a car

 

[ThatOneGuy]

I'm gonna buy me a mercury and cruise it up and down the road.

I have always loved this song, and I'm a goof so anytime I show up to a call for a merc I blast it on the radio as I pull up

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Mercury is a trademark, not a copyright. As long as Ford takes steps to protect the trademark, it maintains the rights to Mercury indefinitely. An extreme example of protection would be to take legal action if some other company tries to use the Mercury name on a vehicle.

Manufacturers of car model kits in recent years have had to get permission and pay royalties for the use of long-disused names of vehicles on kits and packaging. Chrysler in particular maintains rights to numerous old names because of its own history and purchasing American Motors. One example is Nash. Chrysler does enforce those rights on the model-kit companies.

 

[snoranger]

A trademarked name is owned for 10 year periods. It can be renewed indefinitely in multiples of 10 years.

 

[19Walt93]

Mercury is a trademark, not a copyright. As long as Ford takes steps to protect the trademark, it maintains the rights to Mercury indefinitely. An extreme example of protection would be to take legal action if some other company tries to use the Mercury name on a vehicle.

Manufacturers of car model kits in recent years have had to get permission and pay royalties for the use of long-disused names of vehicles on kits and packaging. Chrysler in particular maintains rights to numerous old names because of its own history and purchasing American Motors. One example is Nash. Chrysler does enforce those rights on the model-kit companies.

Unfortunatley there is no Chrysler since it was bought by Fiat and merged with Peugot.

 

[2011Supercab]

Plymouth and Chevrolet both used Suburban

Chevrolet and AMC both used Eagle

AMC and Edsel both used Pacer

Studebaker and Dodge both used Daytona

Oldsmobile and Ford used Fiesta

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Unfortunatley there is no Chrysler since it was bought by Fiat and merged with Peugot.

The successor company, by whatever it's calling itself this week, still controls former Chrysler–owned trademarks. I used "Chrysler" as a shorthand for Stellantis (or is it FCA?). The point being: trademarks don't lapse simply because the company changes hands.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Plymouth and Chevrolet both used Suburban

Chevrolet and AMC both used Eagle

AMC and Edsel both used Pacer

Studebaker and Dodge both used Daytona

Oldsmobile and Ford used Fiesta

Usually the two companies sign an agreement for a newer use of a name just to make it legal. In the agreement the original company states it no longer intends to use that name.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

A trademarked name is owned for 10 year periods. It can be renewed indefinitely in multiples of 10 years.

This is broadly true. Here's what the US government USPTO site says about it.

https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/maintain/keeping-your-registration-alive