background information about the vrcc...
TRANSCRIPT
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION ABOUT
THE VRCC LOGO
Foundation of the VRCC
• The VRCC was founded August 1st 1999 by
Lamont Bryden and Gale Scalzi.
• Lamont aka "Lamonster" is no longer with the
Club but still is Member #1.
• Gale Scalzi aka "oZ" is Member #2 and is
President of the VRCC.
Foundation of the VRCC
• Gale Scalzi is the Designer of all VRCC logos
and they are his intellectual property.
• It all began with this Symbol
"The Viking Head in the Wings"
The Logos of the VRCC
The Original Logo
"Viking Head in the Wings"
These Symbols with the text
1520 Valkyrie Motorcycle
were created by Gale Scalzi
for clothing and accessories
sold in the f6rider store
FOUNDATION OF THE VRCC August 1st, 1999
Lamont Bryden Gale Scalzi
The VRCC's first steps
on the Internet
• The first website was an interactive page
• This is a snapshot from November 11th, 1999
• At first only the first logo was shown on the
website
THE FIRST WEBSITE November 23rd, 1999
The VRCC Website
• There were many links to the store on the
VRCC USA website
• In this way people could purchase accessories
with the original logo of the VRCC
• ....for example T-Shirts
• With the original logo "Viking Head in the
Wings"
The VRCC Website
• There were many links to the store on the
VRCC USA website.
• In this way people could purchase accessories
with the original logo of the VRCC
• .....For example, Membership Cards
• With the original logo of the "Viking Head in
the Wings"
Accessories with the
Original Logos
• Top Left = Martin John's Membership Card
• Top Right = A T-Shirt from Martin John
• Bottom Left = American T-Shirt from 1999
• Bottom Right = T-Shirt from VRCC Austria 2010
Symbols from the VRCC
• In 2000 the original logo was embedded in the shield
framework and customized lettering
• This is our official VRCC logo
23.11.1999 26.02.2000
• Even though the official logo has been
modified, accessories with the original logo are
still produced and sold.
• Example: 6/18/2000 "VRCC Cap"
The internationally-
recognized retired
official logo of the
VRCC
• Even today, dealers offer accessories with the
original VRCC logo.
• Current examples: Back Patch, Belt Buckle,
Radiator Grill
The Abuse of the VRCC Logo
In 2005, Michi Böhm from Uelzen was ousted from the
VRCC. Until that point, he was a full member in MC
Brenner(the Brenner Club). While a VRCC member, he
knew the VRCC emblem.
As a full member of a well-known motorcycle club, Michi
Böhm was aware of the importance and treatment of the
Club emblem among the motorcycle-scene.
The following pictures and forum posts are from 2008.
MICHI ANSWERS A QUESTION FROM SKIPPER
IN THE MAIN FORUM OF THE GERMAN VRCC.
December 22nd, 2008
On December 18th, 2010, the logo (above left) appeared during the Christmas celebration aboard the ferry boat
Langel.
The decal was the company logo of Valkparts, the new business owned by Michi Böhm.
An evil scoundrel!
VRCC representatives warned Michi Böhm of his
transgression and demanded he alter his
company logo.
He was also asked to remove himself from the
forum.
Thereupon Michi Böhm left the forum.
• Today we know that he continues to copyright
the original emblem of the VRCC — "Viking
Head in the Wings" — as his company logo
(see the picture on the left of the next slide).
• Now compare on the next slide the copyrighted
logo, top right, versus the original logo on a
VRCC Membership Card on the bottom right.
Valkparts has also
taken legal action
against the
distributors of
accessories with the
original VRCC
emblem.
• Thereupon, the members of VRCC Germany
decided that the official VRCC logo must be
protected.
• Since the VRCC Germany at that time does
not have legal representation, VRCC member
"Ochsy" filed for copyright protection.
Ochsy
VRCC Member
#11602
• In the meantime, the VRCC organization has
established copyright protection and the
protected logo has been transferred from
Ochsy to VRCC Germany.
• The VRCC has filed an objection against
Valkparts for the reason that its logo is too
similar in appearance. (Compare the logo of the
VRCC on the top right of the next slide versus
the logo of Valkparts on the bottom right.)
• Strangely, Michi Böhm was not troubled by the
resemblance at the time. (Compare the logo of
Valkparts on the top right of the next slide
versus the original logo of the VRCC on the
bottom right.)
Valkparts versus VRCC
• Valkparts has filed an objection with the Patent
and Trademark Office that VRCC Germany
retains the rights to the logo.
• If Valkparts obtains the rights, it could prohibit any
VRCC meeting from selling VRCC accessories.
• If Valkparts succeeds, it would manage to take the
retired VRCC logo, in a legal sense, as
advertising in Germany for Valkparts.
Two Paths to Success
• The legal route is for VRCC Germany — VRCC
Rathaus e.V. — to proceed with a lawsuit
against Valkparts.
• The moral way is the manner how each
individual VRCC member, and their like-minded
friends, act toward Michi Böhm and his
company.
To maintain what
has brought us
together and to
the friendships
and good times
we have made
and those we will
have in the future.
THANKS
THANKS
THANKS