# got milk?



## the fig trees (Sep 4, 2007)

If i us a phrase like Got ____? can i copyright that or is that a copyright infringement. i havent found the answer on the gov web site. any one have any ideas?


----------



## pshawny (Feb 27, 2008)

Yes, you can. Just like the saying "Got Milk?" is copyrighted to one of the milk companies.


----------



## the fig trees (Sep 4, 2007)

Thanks i just didnt want to get sued by the milk industy.


----------



## DUSTINDUSTRIES (Apr 20, 2008)

I have seen Got Tequila? Got Milf? Got weed? t-shirts so I don`t think it`s a problem printing them up you just can`t own the copyright.


----------



## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

I do got wine all the time


----------



## pshawny (Feb 27, 2008)

DUSTINDUSTRIES said:


> I have seen Got Tequila? Got Milf? Got weed? t-shirts so I don`t think it`s a problem printing them up you just can`t own the copyright.


Using certain sayings like "Got Milk?" & probably "Got Tequila?" would be like putting "Just Do It." on a t-shirt.

Just my 2 cents


----------



## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

the fig trees said:


> If i us a phrase like Got ____? can i copyright that


No, you cannot copyright short phrases. 

*got milk?* is the registered trademark of the CMPB.


----------



## pshawny (Feb 27, 2008)

So it can be a trademark, but not a copyright. Me learn today.


----------



## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

plan b said:


> I do got wine all the time


Actually, that one may cause you problems because it IS a registered trademark.

You would need to look up each variation to see if it has been officially registered as a trademark. Some "got ___" versions have, some haven't.


----------



## DUSTINDUSTRIES (Apr 20, 2008)

The T-shirt was Got MILF? as in Got Mums I`d Like To *? It took me a while before I knew what MILF meant. I saw people wearing these on cruise ships when we were down in the Mexican Riviera from memory so they may have purchased them in Mexico.


----------



## rallyjiggz (Jul 31, 2007)

what about translating it? i'm not really planning on selling these but i want to make a hoodie for my friend and I'd like it to say 'avez vous lait?' (casual/informal in french for 'got milk')

do you think that would be an infringement of copyright?


----------



## pshawny (Feb 27, 2008)

Even making something to just give away would be against the law. You are still using their trademarked saying.


----------



## metalfaceproduct (Sep 22, 2010)

i have a "GOT CHROME" t shirt and i sell them as well, they are the same text as the got milk? and have my website address below them, is this copyright infingement?


----------



## VBGrafx (Mar 4, 2008)

I believe that you can make anything you want for your own personal use, copyright or not. As long as it is not used for promotional use. IT has to be "FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!" 

As fare as the "got milk?" I dought seriously if you make a few shirts like "got a clue?" or "got Bulls**T?" etc. as long as it is not "got milk?", who would even know? are you planning to mass produce 1000's? or make 2 for your buddy?


----------



## kimura-mma (Jul 26, 2008)

metalfaceproduct said:


> i have a "GOT CHROME" t shirt and i sell them as well, they are the same text as the got milk? and have my website address below them, is this copyright infingement?


The issue here is not copyright, but trademark.

The owners of the "Got Milk?" trademark have brought legal action against a variety of different versions of the mark claiming infringement. I don't know the results of each of those actions. So it's possible they could sue you, but it's hard to tell whether you would win or lose the case.

A bigger problem is that "Got Chrome?" is actually a registered trademark for use on t-shirts. You are definitely infringing on that trademark and could be sued. You would probably lose that case.


----------



## kimura-mma (Jul 26, 2008)

VBGrafx said:


> I believe that you can make anything you want for your own personal use, copyright or not. As long as it is not used for promotional use. IT has to be "FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!"


That's not true at all. Any unauthorized use of existing intellectual property is infringement and would be the basis for a lawsuit.



VBGrafx said:


> As fare as the "got milk?" I dought seriously if you make a few shirts like "got a clue?" or "got Bulls**T?" etc. as long as it is not "got milk?", who would even know? are you planning to mass produce 1000's? or make 2 for your buddy?


It doesn't matter how many are made, it's still infringement. Sure, making a few for personal use would be far less risky than mass producing, but it's still illegal and carries a level of risk.


----------



## metalfaceproduct (Sep 22, 2010)

what about got metal? is that copyrighted? i had no idea got chrome was copyrighted, thanks for the heads up


----------



## kimura-mma (Jul 26, 2008)

metalfaceproduct said:


> what about got metal? is that copyrighted? i had no idea got chrome was copyrighted, thanks for the heads up


Again, the issue is not copyright, but trademark.

And yes, "Got Metal?" is trademarked.


----------



## lipstickwhiskey (Sep 17, 2012)

Hi there,
Actually if you use a "GOT"?...run it by the trademark commission first. It you use a word attached to the got..ex..wine...it is trademarked and that is a trademark infringement. We have "Got Whiskey" Trademarked. When someone uses it, our lawyer sends out a "Seise and dissist" letter...so just run whatever you want to print on a T-shirt through the trademark SEARCH engine..saves alot of hassle for you..


----------

