April 22nd, 2007 : Adobe® Photoshop®
Apparently, Adobe® is worried that their trademark will one day be revoked for the Adobe® Photoshop® software. I find this really interesting, because I have not heard of it until now. While I can understand the detrimental consequences of no longer possessing a trademark for Adobe® Photoshop®, their requests seem to be rather humorous. (Link to Adobe® site)
The Photoshop trademark must never be used as a common verb or as a noun. The Photoshop trademark should always be capitalized and should never be used in possessive form, or as a slang term. It should be used as an adjective to describe the product, and should never be used in abbreviated form. The following examples illustrate these rules:
Ah, it appears that Adobe® has a plan to help maintain their trademark status.
Trademarks are not verbs.
CORRECT: The image was enhanced using Adobe® Photoshop® software.
INCORRECT: The image was photoshopped.Trademarks are not nouns.
CORRECT: The image pokes fun at the Senator.
INCORRECT: The photoshop pokes fun at the Senator.Always capitalize and use trademarks in their correct form.
CORRECT: The image was enhanced with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements software.
INCORRECT: The image was photoshopped.
INCORRECT: The image was Photoshopped.
INCORRECT: The image was Adobe® Photoshopped.Trademarks must never be used as slang terms.
CORRECT: Those who use Adobe® Photoshop® software to manipulate images as a hobby see their work as an art form.
INCORRECT: A photoshopper sees his hobby as an art form.
INCORRECT: My hobby is photoshopping.Trademarks must never be used in possessive form.
CORRECT: The new features in Adobe® Photoshop® software are impressive.
INCORRECT: Photoshop’s features are impressive.Trademarks are proper adjectives and should be followed by the generic terms they describe.
CORRECT: The image was manipulated using Adobe® Photoshop® software.
INCORRECT: The image was manipulated using Photoshop.Trademarks must never be abbreviated.
CORRECT: Take a look at the new features in Adobe® Photoshop® software.
INCORRECT: Take a look at the new features in PS.
This looks like a good idea, but I don’t think it’s going to do a lick of good. No one is going to change their speech habbits to say “Adobe® Photoshop® Software” for the simple reason that people don’t like to say more then they have too. You can say an 8 syllable phrase, or you can say a 3 syllable word. That’s the difference between “Adobe® Photoshop® sofware” and “Photoshop®”. When people have to say “Adobe PhotoShop software” on a daily basis, or multiple times durring the day, they are going to shorten the word. That’s one reason people use nicknames, or even why we call people by first names. It’s shorter and more practical then using the full name.
I’m not saying Adobe® should give up the fight, I’m just saying that this is never going to catch on.
These people are just funny. For the record, there are some articles on their own site that use “photoshop” as a verb. GIVE IT UP!
These are their “trademark guidelines”. They apply to people who are utilizing the Photoshop name for their own business. For example: people packaging and selling a Photoshop plug-in must use the full trademarked name. Or, somebody using the Photoshop name to promote their for-profit services. Joe Blow Blogger doesn’t have to be in compliance with the trademark, nor does Adobe expect them to be.
A little experience in the corporate world might be good for both of you. Unfortunately, your assumptions have made you both appear ignorant.
2¢
I understand what you are saying, and I would be the first to admit that I don’t have much experience in the “corporate world”, but I do know that several companies have lost trademarks because their product name has become so common place that the original company can no longer hold any rights to it.
I would not be surprised if this happened to Photoshop over the next 10 years.
Adobe won’t lose the trademark for Photoshop. Nor are they concerned about it.
I am curious as to which companies have though? I’d be interested in researching their stories.