Apparently, making fun of your competitors, without calling them out by name, warrants a cease and desist letter. Just ask Best Buy and NewEgg.com. The latter made the commercial that leads this post, and it’s a funny characterization of the Best Buy experience. I mean, because, let’s face it, there are times the customer knows as much, if not more, than the blue-shirted employee that’s helping them.
Granted, the fact that Best Buy’s Geek Squad as well as the installation crew are viable services means there are a lot of customers who couldn’t function in today’s technological world without help, but not every employee of Best Buy is an expert concerning the gadgets they are selling. With that in mind, Newegg’s commercial is a funny look at the world of the non-knowledgeable Best Buy worker, which, apparently, offended the big box kings. So much so, in fact, they issued a cease and desist to Newegg, as well as demonstrating their sense of humor is the equivalent of a poor sport.
Newegg posted the letter at their Facebook page, and it’s about as fun of a read as you’d expect. Best Buy’s complaint focuses on Newegg’s “disparagement of our employees and infringement of our valuable trademark rights.” In other words, you guys are mean and you represent a real threat to our business. Oh, the infringement Best Buy’s legal team is referring to is use of the word “geek,” because, it seems, Best Buy is the only company in the world allowed to use that word.
Oh, and there’s more:
After reading that, the only thing I can think to add is “get over yourself, Best Buy!!!” There’s room for more than one big-time electronic resale business, much to your chagrin.
