Using a counterfeit logo even for less than 2 seconds can cost your business thousands of dollars. Just ask Sony BMG and MTV Online.

Annoyed from seeing its famous logo design used in many fake bags and other accessories, luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton has charged the controversial artist Britney Spears for using a pink Vuitton-upholstered dashboard in her “Do Something” music video in 2005. According to a news report:

In the opening scenes of the clip, Spears appears in the driver’s seat of a hot pink Hummer floating on make-believe clouds. One shot shows fingers drumming on a dashboard covered with what looks like Vuitton’s “Cherry Blossoms” design: dark pink blossoms on a pale pink, weblike background, embossed with the “LV” logo.

Although Britney was not found guilty, Sony BMG and MTV Online were asked to pay Louis Vuitton $117,000 apiece and stop broadcasting the video. This violation of counterfeiting laws is considered a direct attack on the brand’s luxury image.

If you check the said video on YouTube, that LV logo is barely noticeable unless you actually look for it. I can’t help but go over the importance of understanding basic trademark laws in your business. Failure to do so can result to ill consequences.

For more information about trademarks, you can visit Martin Schwimmer’s The Trademark Blog

Via Hollywood Back Wash