For the past two decades Pixar has been happilly using a desk lamp as part of its logo. It’s known to millions as Luxo Jr., due to the fact that one of their very first short films featured the character and was called Luxo Jr. However fewer people realise that Luxo is actually a real Scandinavian lamp company, which up until know seems to have been quite happy to have been associated with the animation giants (the character it said to be based on John Lasseter’s own Luxo desk lamp).
However that’s all now changed as Luxo has taken Pixar to court, alleging infringement of copyright. The problem seems to have stemmed from the fact that whereas previously Pixar has merely used the lamp in its logo and as a corporate icon (and of course in the original short film), in the US it’s now decided to sell replica Luxo Jr lamps to collector’s as part of a limited edition set with the Blu-ray of Up.
Perhaps rather shortsightedly, rather than signing a licensing deal with Luxo and getting them to provide the replicas, Disney/Pixar has gone off and created their own, and not paid the lamp company a penny. Apparently Luxo aren’t that happy about a six-foot tall animatronic Luxo Jr. lamp at Disney World either, for which again they were apparently not consulted and received no money, but which has their name attached to it.
The suit also alleges that up until recently, Pixar hasn’t used the Luxo name on the lamp (other than in the original short, of course), so officially it’s just been a generic desk lamp, but that’s now changed. It would seem that someone at Disney/Pixar should have seen this one coming, particularly as they’re renowned for stamping down on anyone using the Dinsey brand or characters in unauthorised ways, so you’d think they realise this bit of merchadising might cause trouble.
Hopefully Pixar and Luxo will be able to come up with some sort of deal, because it does seem that for the past two decades Pixar has been relying on the lamp company not making a fuss, and they may now have gone too far. However there’s no doubt Luxo has probably done pretty well out of the association up until now.
The LA Times is saying that Disney is yet to make a comment on the suit.