Pitstop Paul Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 An Open Letter. Hello folks. Sorry I haven't been around for much. Been busy with... Some of you may have noticed in the last couple of days that our magazine PMA when through a facelift. From "Porsche Magazine Australia" to "Porsche Motoring Australia". It looked better for it, even though I worked nearly 24 hours flat to make it happen. Well, from today, after all the effort we went to I'm sorry to say that PMA is finished. It makes me sad and angry, but mostly sad. Warning bells should ring... We were asked to change the name of the magazine by Porsche Cars Australia. We were also asked to refrain from using, indeed de-list our domain name www.porschemagazineaustralia.com. I'm not in the habit of receiving letters from specialist lawyers, having never ever received one in my entire life until just a few days ago. Mis-understanding their request led us to change the name of the magazine to Porsche Motoring and design a logo title. We also made it clear on the front cover that were were an independent magazine, removed all details of the old website, replacing it with the new www.porschemotoring.com one. PMA 1 was removed from issuu and joomags and a new version put in place. A website was de-constructed and a new one took its place. I did all the work, working through the night. It broke my heart, but I'm not in a position to argue so just conformed to the letter (as I understood it and taking into account other Porsche magazines that not only used the word Porsche in their title but do so in capitals!) Confused, but not out, a mere 24 hours later I'd worked through the night to rectify the issue. On Saturday I felt ill, but mission accomplished. Not good enough. The use of the word 'Porsche' is apparently a no-no on a magazine. I was advised to go find another name. But to be honest, this has been and will continue to be a time drawn out process and the amount of work that I've had to put in to get this far and the resulting exhaustion means that despite what all you good folk said about PMA, I cannot go on right now. I'm really sorry. It's taken a lot out of my schedule, knocked me sideways in fact, and I feel like shit. I have told PCA and their lawyer that I will cease production of the magazine immediately. I'm not a lawyer and certainly not in a position (financially or with time on my hands) to argue the case for the little guy. It's fine to run a Ford magazine with Ford in the title. A VW magazine with VW in the title, but apparently not one with Porsche in the title. Go figure!?! I know there were a few on here who said they were willing to get involved. Thanks guys, I was on the verge of contacting you last week. I'm sorry, but right now I can't even accept your kind offers. It's not everyday you get the chance to do something in life that you really enjoy, is great for the scene and great for Porsche, and I was so much looking forward to creating a Porsche magazine for Australia and speaking to the people that make all these great Porsche things happen, but alas when the little guy's down and he's kicked around for a second time, well, perhaps you'll understand my reluctance to get up. And Australia loves its battlers, doesn't it. I earned not a single penny from this magazine. It was free, done in my own time and all contributions were freely given. No advertising in it was paid for. It was a pro-Porsche magazine. It was well regarded as a magazine in its own right, both here in Australia and around the globe. The fact that it was Australian is another thing entirely. So proud. Now gone. I'm sure you'll all be disappointed. It's not just as simple as a name change. Not after you've done all the work to get it to stage 1, and then stage 2 so soon afterwards. It would take a lot to make it to stage 3 right now, and when you feel as down in the dumps and as exhausted as I do right now. I know when to draw the line. Porsche wins! Porsche loses! Writing and photographing great cars and great people. What could be better? If any of you want to make something like this a reality, by all means give me a shout. If you want to do it off your own back or help create a Porsche magazine for Australia later on down the track I'd be happy to discuss. Clearly it takes more than one bloke to make things like this happen. I've now got to write to the rest of the team and all the individual subscribers and let them know. They'll be disappointed, for sure. Everyone loves a Porsche mag, don't they? Anyway, I'm off to hug my own '62 Porsche one more time. A dear friend of mine. Built at a time when no doubt life was a lot less complicated and you didn't have to deal with crap like this. All the best, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnr356 Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 i think you'll find volkswagen are just as protective of their name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarreraG50 Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 Paul, I’m really sorry to hear this, I enjoyed issue 1 and was looking forward to subscribing to subsequent issues. I remember EXCELLENCE magazine out of the states had a similar issue(pun intended). However isn’t there a 911 & PORSCHE world mag out there???? I hope you get the energy and enthusiasm back to pursue this down the track, it’s been a long time since Australia had its own PORSCHE magazine (EXCLUSIVE, anyone, anyone?????) I think we can support it in the PORSCHE community. All the best with your other titles, hope to see you publishing PORSCHE once again. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 Change the title to oil cooled and water pumpers monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 yeah I'm curious as to how 911 & Porsche World and GT Purely Porsche get by I know VW was protective of their logo, but I know a lot of the mags are still around with VW or Volkswagen in the title This sucks! Time to send HQ in Germany a letter I think.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 Or "Not Porsche monthly" 1000 - 89 monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgy Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 I can see their point. Porsche Magazine Australia does sound like an official publication from PCA themselves. However it isn't and they have no control over the content & probably don't have any interest in putting their $$ and resources into it. I am surprised that you didn't tackle the matter up front, but I guess its a hard lesson learnt and that happens to the best of us! Anyhow, moving on.. I would hate to see you give up on it, P car owners are not quitters right?.. it just needs a change of strategy on the title to accommodate the restrictions imposed on you! good luck with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeM Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 How about a new title 'German cars with P in the name' ? Unreal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM911T Posted 6August, 2013 Report Share Posted 6August, 2013 Paul, so sorry to hear this. BMW put a friend of mine out of business a few years ago, because he was selling Mini spare parts out of his home garage. So same story of corporate overkill. Such a shame as the one magazine we don't have is an Australian Porsche mag with local content. Perhaps you could call it "The Other Magazine". Take a break and know that we the Porsche owners, the little guys, support you!! Cheers Paul M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC9911 Posted 7August, 2013 Report Share Posted 7August, 2013 Paul, Magazine was great, so it seems the content (bulk of the magazine) is fine, just one page ( the front one) has a single word problem. In the face of adversity maybe it's an opportunity for an underground movement opportunity, & we all know how quickly underground becomes mainstream in the age of instant communication. Good luck, I would suggest there is a ready made word of mouth army ( albeit small) right here on PFA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matara Posted 7August, 2013 Report Share Posted 7August, 2013 Paul, I got a similar letter from VW when I set up a parts site for Luke Pell from Nambucca vwparts.com.au. Maybe you should call it the "Aircooled Advertiser" Top effort though, a great mag. thanks Steve Pitstop Paul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerry Posted 7August, 2013 Report Share Posted 7August, 2013 Yeah, I second all of the above: Top Effort and such a shame! Hopefully we'll see you out on a PFA SMT sometime Paul? If you find yourself down here at any stage, let me know and we'll clash a glass over it all! Kerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardust Posted 7August, 2013 Report Share Posted 7August, 2013 I noticed one of the URL's delivering the mag was labelled "air-cooled". Looked like you were half way there ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pocketscience Posted 7August, 2013 Report Share Posted 7August, 2013 Lawyers are the pits. I had a similar experience recently when I wrote a version of Pacman for a smartwatch platform I'm playing with in my spare time. Received a take-down order from Namco-Bandai within 48hrs. Anyway, chin up - I'm sure you can overcome this naming speed-bump!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randall Posted 7August, 2013 Report Share Posted 7August, 2013 Sorry to hear Paul, don't let them kill your enthusiasm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitstop Paul Posted 8August, 2013 Author Report Share Posted 8August, 2013 Lawyers are the pits. I had a similar experience recently when I wrote a version of Pacman for a smartwatch platform I'm playing with in my spare time. Received a take-down order from Namco-Bandai within 48hrs. Anyway, chin up - I'm sure you can overcome this naming speed-bump!! That's weird... Speed Bump was one of the names we came up with last night... How bizarre! The other was Fuched - as in the popular Porsche wheel cladding description: "My Car's Been Fuched!" sort of... Probably the perfect title for the 'underground' Porsche style mag, but hardly a replacement for PMA, me thinks! pocketscience 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatSix Posted 8August, 2013 Report Share Posted 8August, 2013 You just need to name your child Porsche. Then call it Porsche's Australia Magazine. Dont let the lawyers get you down, i enjoyed reading your magazine and was looking forward to many more. Kerry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doish13 Posted 8August, 2013 Report Share Posted 8August, 2013 +1 Fuched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teknostar Posted 8August, 2013 Report Share Posted 8August, 2013 +2 Fuched or what about Fuch PCA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberpunky Posted 8August, 2013 Report Share Posted 8August, 2013 or if your feeling really P'Oed how about *fuched by Porsche* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitstop Paul Posted 8August, 2013 Author Report Share Posted 8August, 2013 No, no, no! Bad boys! . Free speech and all that... PCA liked the magazine. I sensed this from chatting to their media manager on the phone, and hearing from their lawyers (that sounds a bit weird, but trust me). They would be happy for the mag to continue - but without Porsche in the title and without porsche in the domain name. That's just fine and I have no beef with that other than it creates a marketing strategy issue with search engines to some extent, has caused problems at home and at work. In fact I've lost days of productive work time trying to rectify the situation, let alone loses elsewhere. Yes, it does bug me that European mags can identify themselves as Porsche mags quite easily, but clearly Porsche in Australia feel they need to protect their trademark, which is fair enough in business, but the irony is it has caused a 100% pro-Porsche mag (probably the most pro-Porsche mag in the world!) to be pulled (and given me a huge migrane). I've complied with their wishes in good time and the website domains will probably have to be passed on to them - that process started today. Lost domain registrations don't cost the earth, but they do cost something! It's the pain of going through the whole process again that freaks me more than anything. Scrutinised to the nth degree, perhaps? We all have day jobs and this was just an after hours pilot issue. Looked bloody good though! The response was great, plans were made and then the rug was pulled from below. I'm over it. I'm talking with others about the mag returning, but there will be more than a few issues to be addressed before it's confirmed, not least of which will be PCA agreeing to the new title and domain name. Of that you can be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM911T Posted 9August, 2013 Report Share Posted 9August, 2013 Hi Paul, time for a good lie down to get rid of that migraine. I think we can all see PCA's position re their Name etc,and the degree to which you have responded to their "requests". But in a spirit of fairness, my view is that it would "keep the faith" with Porsche enthusiasts and owners, if PCA at least reimbursed you the cost of the domain names. We really do have a gap in the Australian market for an independent local magazine. Cheers Paul M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveF Posted 10August, 2013 Report Share Posted 10August, 2013 +3 Fuched. Paul, you have done an amazing job with the mag. Hopefully this can be worked out with a new name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Harold Posted 10August, 2013 Report Share Posted 10August, 2013 It is possible some may benefit from reading the law as it relates to passing off and trademark infringement. Stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAFE Posted 12August, 2013 Report Share Posted 12August, 2013 P Cars Australia (PCA) for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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