While generally I disapprove of heavy handed lawyerly actions against web sites or parodies, if I was GM, Ford or Chrysler I’d take legal action against whoever published that poster. It’s pretty defamatory. The text alone is protected speech, but put it together with “our shitty cars” and the companies’ logos and while IANAL, it looks actionable to me.

Logo parodies are usually considered fair use. The exception is when you are using the parody to compete with the owner of the logo, like putting that Nike squiggle on a tshirt or a hat.

Agreed. The test are standard fare, but the Xerox one is actually witty.

Logo appropriation is going to to happen. It has been happening since Adbusters debuted. The worst possible response would be to throw lawyers at the problem, but I wouldn’t put it past a few of the, ahem, storied marques above.

Side story: I’m out minivan-shopping this weekend and, after being more than a little annoyed at my local Toyota dealer, I drop by the Mazda store. In the salesperson’s office is a printed version of the “Our shitty cars” faux poster that’s been going around.

Yes, I know Mazda is part owned by Ford. Yes, I know it’s crass. It was also funny, and more than little bold for the usual milquetoast car dealer humour. It was certainly better than the spiel I got from the good ol’boy at Toyota about how he didn’t need to discount products because he wasn’t selling domestics.

Now they just need to have the Dell logo catching fire as its battery pack self immolates in an epic fail.

“2M” is pretty good, too. I’m willing to bet that the missing “M” would be “Manufacturing” (unfortunately).