Audio Cable Giant Goes After Mini Golf Franchise Over Monster Name

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: The Wall Street Journal

I this world of ours there are bullies. There are bullies in the schoolyard and their are bullies in the corporate world. It seems that some people never grow up and mature like the rest of us.

In this case, the bully that I am talking about is "Monster Cable Products Inc." a manufacturer of audio and video cables. If you have an HD TV then you probably are using on or more of their products. The reason that I am referring to this company as a bully, is because they have decided to sue just about anybody who use the word "Monster" in their name.

Should I be scared by this? Should I start looking for a lawyer? I do call this place "Monster Island News."

Anyway, the California based company presently owns about 70 trademarks on the word "Monster". Because of the ownership of these trademarks the company has felt 'justified' in suing anyone and everyone who has used the word. The manufacturer has even taken on the 'big boys', filing lawsuits against Disney for everything related to their movie, "Monsters Inc", Monster.com, Monster brand energy drinks and even the Boston Red Sox for the "Green Monster", the legendary left-field wall in Fenway Park.

In all, Monster Cable says it has fought about 190 monster battles at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and filed around 30 monster lawsuits in federal courts.

Most of these suits were settled out of court, companies ultimately bowing to Monster Cable's demands.

However, it appears that the company bit off more than they could chew when they started hunting smaller prey. The audio cable manufacturer recently targeted "Monster Mini Golf", an indoor 18 hole indoor golf course franchise owned by Christina and Patrick Vitagliano of Rhode Island, for one of their infamous lawsuits, and the couple fought back.

The Vitaglianos say they first got wind of trouble in 2006, soon after they opened their first mini-golf course. "It never occurred to me that a cable company might not like it," she says. Adds her husband, "We just all assumed it was going to go away."

The couple then hired an attorney to try and settle the dispute, but all they ended up with, was about $100,000 in legal bills and hours of frustration.

The couple then decided to take matters into their own hands, launching an Internet-based campaign to generate public support. "We blogged nonstop, around the clock, for weeks, and enlisted much of our staff to do the same," says Christina Vitaglianos. The couple even went as far as to offered to sell symbolic slices of "Justice" for $1 on eBay which raised about $4,400 for their legal defense.

In the end, public support for the Vitaglinos' finally caused Monster Cable to withdraw their lawsuit and agree to pay for $200,000 of the couples legal expenses.

Just like bullies in the school yard, corporate bullies can turn tail and run when they are stood up to. It is a good thing to hear of modern "David vs Goliath" stories like this!

So if Monster Cable comes after Monster Island News, you guys out there will stand up for me.......right?