Copyrighting trademarks

I remember when I worked on the Kraft account a few years back, struggling to find a way to incorporate trademark and copyright symbols into body copy.

It just seemed so unnecessary.

I mean what difference could it possibly have made if I'd used Philadelphia rather than PhiladelphiaTM?

Trademarks symbols. I hate 'em!

They're everywhere I look. And they're slowly but surely infringing into areas I don't believe they should be.

At the Olympics they're attempting to set a new world record for trademark usage, with the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics putting in a Gold Medal worthy performance.

The Canadian goverment has just introduced Bill C-47. The Olympic Marks Act.

This bill guarantees exclusive public use of the following words: winter, gold, silver, bronze, sponsor, Vancouver, 2010, medals and games.

And there I was thinking that the Olympics was all about fair play and human achievement.