CEASE AND DESIST. I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN!
Video Statistics and Information
Channel: Gavin Webber
Views: 241,989
Rating: undefined out of 5
Keywords: Grainy italian cheese, cease and desist, gavin webber, cease and desist letter, never thought that this would happen
Id: M_AzMLhPF1Q
Channel Id: undefined
Length: 9min 28sec (568 seconds)
Published: Thu Nov 26 2020
Please note that this website is currently a work in progress! Lots of interesting data and statistics to come.
Made a new folder in my archives called forbidden cheese videos
Edit: Update! The consortium has sent an apology letter to Gavin webber. He is still taking down the video but will give us a surprise on Monday after his stream.
Consortium apology letter video
The video in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6T_BJjitGQ
It shows how to make a cheese in the style of Grana Padano, a name protected by origin. Italian lawyers are giving him five days to remove it.
The letter (pdf):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Et4MvITYvb11JmQgBVUgbhRtNQ-RSlbo/view
Iโd just rename the video to โHow to make cheese that is very similar in taste and consistency to Grana Padano cheeseโ and ignore their letter.
Lol streisand effect?
Iโd say we should do one better: archive the video and continually upload it to YouTube to continually annoy the piss out of this stupid cheese consortium that has apparently gotten too big for their britches. There was nothing inherently illegal in what this YouTuber did, and I absolutely despise organizations who abuse flimsy laws and controls on YouTube to go after others because their feelings were hurt.
Cheese and desist.
I would write a response along the lines of...
Dear cheese baron,
None of the cheeses featured in my videos are ever offered in trade and as such are unable to violate any Australian trademark.
I realized that the cheese I made is not entitled to be sold or distributed under the Grana Pradano CDO. I made no attempt to do so, and told viewers throughout the video that the cheese should NOT be be considered true "Grana Pradano". I was using the term only to describe end result of the style attributes (hardness, texture, flavor) I was trying to achieve.
I am a home cheese-maker making video for the home cheese-maker experimenting with different styles and recipes. I in no way wish to suggest than anyone worldwide may make a cheese that may be sold as Grana Pradano, but rather that anyone is capable of making a cheese with similar attributes to be consumed at home or sold in accordance of all applicable laws.
I believe that at it's core my video does not violate and specific trademark protection offered in Australia. If you disagree please point out the relevant statute or case law you rest your argument on. My video are meant to be educational and informative and not as a counterfeiting guide and I've intentionally avoided replicating the exact grating, slicing, and packaging of Grana Pradano to help avoid confusion.
In the interest of good faith, I am immediately removing public access to the video as currently titled and edited. However I plan to re-release after editing that clarifies the relation of my cheese to Grana Pradano and emphasizing your trademark claims outlined in this letter.
I plant to give you 5 days notice and a private video link before releasing the edited video. If you have any specific edits you'd like to see, I'd be more than happy to accommodate reasonable requests now, or at that time.
โ
--sincerly little cheese guy
I have a sudden urge to start making bootleg cheese ....
should voice over and reupload, calling it "Grandma's Patanto" :P