Last week, I went into a running store and something instantly caught my eye. Hanging from the ceiling was a large poster promoting Brook’s BioMoGo, with the tagline “Run Hard, Tread Lightly.” The poster is part of a whole POS (Point of Sale) package that was shipped to retailers in the last couple weeks.
June 2009 vs June 2008
About a year ago, we (Atayne) designed our first POV (Point of View) top with the graphic “Run Hard, Tread Lightly” (4Rs was soon to follow). When I saw Brooks using this line, you might imagine this filled my head with thoughts–thoughts of frustration, anger, or disappointment. Well, it didn’t.
I smiled, and I continue to smile. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Thank you Brooks!
You’ve definitely arrived! Congratulations on the “free” promotion!!!
I just think that’s baaaaad business on Brooks part. I mean, give credit where credit is due. Or, maybe buy the rights to use that phrase, assuming that you have it coined. I’m just a bit disturbed that they couldn’t come up with something original.
Google Run Hard Tread Lightly. It is definitely free promotion!
Sue the bastards!
More serious answer: you should think about registering the phrase as a trademark ASAP! Nobody has it yet and if Brooks decided to register it then they would have to defend it or else lose it, in which case they’d have to take out an injunction against *you*, which would very much suck!