Just two days after a controversial trademark application by the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA) was made public, it has been dropped.
The group has made nearly $100 million (£60 million) from donations related to viral videos of people doing the “ice bucket challenge,” in which ice water is dumped on a person’s head. In the last month, ALSA has made far more money from the campaign than the association made in all of 2013.
Last week, ALSA filed an application with the US Patent and Trademark Office seeking to trademark the term for use in charity fundraising. That move quickly sparked an outcry, since ALSA didn’t invent the phrase “ice bucket challenge” and the concept has been used to raise money for other charities before.
The stunt became specifically associated with ALS, which is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, about a month ago. The challenge went viral after several pro athletes and other celebrities posted videos where they got doused in ice water to social media sites.
Late yesterday, ALSA said that the idea of trademarking “ice bucket challenge” was intended to stop “unscrupulous profiteers” from making money themselves. The group’s statement was published byThe Washington Post and emphasised that it wasn’t intended for use against other charities:
“The ALS Association took steps to trademark the Ice Bucket Challenge after seeing many examples of unscrupulous profiteers trying to drive revenue to themselves, instead of the fight against ALS. We secured the blessing of the families who initiated the challenge, which they provided without hesitation. The Association did this as a good faith effort to protect the integrity of the Ice Bucket Challenge. We are intent on preventing for-profit companies from capitalising on this amazing, almost wholly grass-roots, and charitable campaign to raise money and awareness for the fight against ALS.”
Today, the group changed its mind. A couple hours ago, ALSA explained on Facebook that it will drop the applications:
“We’ve received several messages regarding the trademark applications we filed. We filed for these trademarks in good faith as a measure to protect the Ice Bucket Challenge from misuse after consulting with the families who initiated the challenge this summer. However, we understand the public’s concern and are withdrawing the trademark applications. We appreciate the generosity and enthusiasm of everyone who has taken the challenge and donated to ALS charities.”
So feel free to keep dumping ice water on yourself this week — for any cause.
Source: wired.co.uk
