But the company has drawn a line when it comes to commercial use, stating that public domain status for the cartoon does not equate to free rein over its trademarks.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, earlier Disney filed lawsuits against Morgan & Morgan and jewellery brand, Sateur. The legal action concerns their use of Mickey Mouse’s Steamboat Willie appearance. Disney says that these uses violate its trademark rights.
Morgan & Morgan used the characters in a commercial depicting Mickey crashing a steamboat into Minnie’s car, which then prompts her to call the law firm. While the ad clarifies it is not associated with Disney, the company maintains that exploiting the character for marketing purposes crosses legal boundaries.
Sateur, on the other hand, reportedly tried to sell merchandise featuring Steamboat Willie Mickey as if it were official Disney products. Complaints from consumers claimed the accessories were low quality and misleadingly marketed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In the complaint, Disney contends that the expiry of Steamboat Willie’s copyright does not permit competitors to violate its trademarks, which safeguard the brand. The company added that it generates significant revenue by licencing Mickey Mouse for merchandise, including jewellery.
