DU: Soon to be wholly owned subsidiary of Wal-Mart [View All]

[Inland]

Walmart is asserting trademark rights to the smiley face. Thanks to the ubiquitous use of the smileys by DU posters, I figure DU owes Wal Mart....let's see, carry the two....$152,876,987. Roughly.



http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0605140121ma...
By Abigail Goldman
Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
Published May 14, 2006


Wal-Mart not joking with smiley face lawsuit


For decades the yellow happy-face symbol has encouraged millions to smile.

The smiley face and "Have a Nice Day" helped to define the '70s. With two dots and a pencil stroke, schoolchildren have brightened handwritten messages by filling in their O's with mini-smileys. These days, nary a cheery e-mail is complete without a typographical smile.

But now a bitter legal battle over smiley could be enough to make the happy little symbol frown. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which uses a yellow happy face to try to put its shoppers in a carefree mood, is saying--with a straight face--that it has exclusive rights to the familiar image, at least among retail department stores.