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ARTICLE · 11 SEPTEMBER 2014

deadmau5 v Mickey Mouse – what’s with trade marking ears?

deadmau5, a DJ, is in a scrap with Disney over an attempt to trade mark his image of a mouse, which he uses everywhere.

AustraliaIntellectual Property

Both have round heads. Both have prominent mouse ears in silhouette. We haven't seen too many actual mice who look like that, but we all recognise the image and this mouse fight comes as no surprise to anyone.

deadmau5 (pronounced Dead Mouse) is an international DJ smashing out tracks such as "Professional Griefers" with 9 million YouTube views. Basically, a big time musician.

In the other corner is Disney, famous for Goofy, The Little Mermaid, that stupid "Let it go" song and of course the most famous mouse ever – Mickey.

deadmau5 is in a scrap with Disney over his attempt to trade mark his image of a mouse which he uses everywhere, including on stage. Disney objected, to which deadmau5 responded "Disney thinks you might confuse an established electronic musician / performer with a cartoon mouse. That's how stupid they think you are". Good one deadmau5.

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