Hi Ole,
IMHO any registered organisation (even if volunteering) has a market which has users/customers. If there is a market, then there should be a logo and if there is a logo then that is a marketing signal, but will always need marketing (planning and strategies) to make that organisation not die in future within its markets (specially volunteering organisations don't last without marketing).
@ Trustees:
My point 4 needs amendment as follows:
4) many companies use IETF documents/meetings and participate/host but are there integrated projects among those companies by using the IETF trademark. I think that the IETF general area can establish projects among those companies to produce some new IETF products. In that situation I think the secretariats trademark can be helpful within that general area works/projects. So I hope you define (defined conditions or situations or markets) when we need or don't need that secretariats trademark, also that you have a plan when to bring it back registered if your defined conditions apply.
On Tuesday, April 15, 2014, Ole Jacobsen wrote:
AB,
Why do you think this has *anything* to do with "marketing" ???
Trademarks are there to protect brands and owners,
Yes within its market.
so that somebody
else cannot cause confusion by using the same name/mark/logo.
That's all.
I don't think that is only the case. IMO it cost thousands for reasons not just that. The confusion is related to users and those users may change to use others. If no one uses IETF then it will close down, which trustees should make sure not to let that happen.
AB