The red cross symbol is an icon of relief from disaster. For months, it has also been the subject of a festering disagreement between major American institutions: the health care company Johnson & Johnson and the American Red Cross.
The dispute over rights to the symbol erupted to the surface yesterday in federal court in Manhattan, where J.& J. sued the American Red Cross.
The two had shared the symbol amicably for more than 100 years — Johnson & Johnson on its commercial products and the American Red Cross as a symbol of its relief efforts on foreign battlefields and in disasters like floods and tornadoes.
Read through the whole article. The questions raised are complex and pointed.
I imagine the lawyers for each side are already figuring out where to invest their fees.
Johnson & Johnson doesn’t own the Red Cross emblem – the 194 governments of the world that have ratified the Geneva Conventions do. J&J has been trying to exploit the universal awareness of this emblem from the start for its own gain. It started using the emblem long after the international and American Red Cross did and then snuck its trademark through before Congress met its obligations to prevent use beyond the military and Red Cross organizations. J&J’s limited “trademark” should be retired since they clearly don’t respect the humanitarian purpose of the Red Cross name and emblem.
A little clarification from someone who actually works for the Red Cross (me):
1. In the past year alone, my chapter has responded to something like 300 disasters (mostly fires) in just our service area. Let’s not forget that while the large-scale disasters like Katrina get all the press, most disasters are small and happen right in our own neighborhoods without ANY press coverage whatsoever.
2. Each person/family affected by a disaster receives a “comfort kit” that includes stuff like sweatsuits, soap, toothpaste, etc., along with an information packet with brochures on everything from mental health recovery to renter’s insurance. If someone is unable to return to their homes immediately (as in most cases) they also receive a sort of debit card from the Red Cross which can be used for food and clothing. For a family with kids, this card can contain about $350.
3. Because, of course, the comfort kits are nowhere near enough to help someone whose apartment building has just burned down, we also provide case management after a disaster, which can include things like working with new landlords to waive security deposits, and actually paying for security deposits in some cases. We also provide written referrals (each bearing the Red Cross emblem) for disaster victims to bring to other organizations in the area who may be able to provide long-term assistance.
4. Let’s not forget that the ARC is a non-profit org with a staff made up of 90% volunteers. So while some of the incoming money goes to a relatively few number of salaries (in comparison with a company like J&J), with the vast majority of any other income (from donations, sales from first aid & preparedness kits, CPR classes, etc.) going towards disaster preparedness and relief activities. In other words, no matter how much the Red Cross is making from licensing the emblem to retailers who sell preparedness kits (kits which few people are motivated enough to put together on their own), that money is not ging towards lining the pockets of rich executives. It is going back into the Red Cross to help families in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD prepare for and recover from disasters. While Red Cross services are free to all disaster victims, they are expensive for the Red Cross to provide.
5. The Red Cross did not steal money from 9/11 donations. How can an organization steal its own donations, anyway? The money is still used to support survivors and victims. If there had been any overflow it would have been used for disaster relief. Those who were kind enough to donate to the Red Cross after 9/11 put their trust into the organization that we’d use the money appropriately and wherever it was most needed, and it was. Just for the record.
6. The Red Cross and J&J have not only amicably shared the emblem for 100 years, but they have, in fact, actually teamed up in past years to fight OTHER organizations’ unauthorized use of the emblem.
Just trying to set the record straight!
First of all…how horrible are all you people who complain about the Red Cross using a Red Cross. Red Cross was founded first but since they were chartered after J&J was established you think they have a case. Yes the Red Cross is making money from those but so are the partners they are in with. What they do with the money is not Red Cross’ problem; however, for every dollar $.91 goes into humanitarian aid! If you were in a hurricane and the Red Cross helped you like they do so many other people, would you all feel the same way? What if you needed blood? What if you needed food? So of you talk about Jesus…Jesus and God said “Help your fellow people” that’s what the Red Cross does. So if you needed blood would anyone from J&J give it to you? Or if you were in a hurricane would J&J help you? Think long an hard about which side you take. Red Cross is a non-profit organization and thus, the money goes to the people who need it. I wonder if J& J donates to Red Cross…and even if they did – they only did it for appearances and tax write offs. The government and people in this country need to get there priorities straight. Leaving an organization like the Red Cross out there by all you people…is harsh and cruel. I refuse to by J&J products due to the slander of the Red Cross. The name is represented by the symbol. How can they be expected to pay J&J for profits when they were give to humanitarian aid!!! Red Cross is not a government agency at all so they get funding through donation and these efforts. The Red Cross also aids in the support of the troops—if they need to get home for a familty emergency and have to money, the Red Cross loans them that money. If you need to reach a loved on who is a soldier, the Red Cross can do that for you. The Red Cross trains many people who are certified in CPR, First Aid, Lifeguarding, etc. Those people save lives and one day someone who has had there training may ave you one day!