Cecil the lion’s death pointed the world at the big issues with trophy hunting. But it also revealed another side of humans – ready to make money from everything.
Over the past few weeks the world was enraged by the killing of the lion by US dentist Walter Palmer. While he is still to face justice, the money makers are already working hard on thinking of new ways to make a buck from the incident.
Motherboard reports that there have already been four trademark applications filed to the United States Patent and Trademark office. All of them want to have exclusive rights to the name Cecil the lion. If somebody has that, it means that everyone else can’t use the name or have to pay the rights holder to use it
All of the four applications are filed for paraphernalia which means all kinds of items from T-shirts to stuffed animals, home décor and so on. Amongst them is Ty, the maker of Beanie Babies. The company has already announced that it will be making a Cecil the lion Beanie Baby and all profits will go to charity.
Amongst other candidates is another toy company that makes the One Direction plush toys. Interestingly enough, a travel agency also wants the rights to the Cecil name.
Motherboard though thinks it is all for nothing. The online magazine says the Cecil hype won’t last long enough to withstand the very lengthy process for getting a trademark.
This is not that important actually. What is important is that again the focus of the issue is going elsewhere. Ty says it will give all of the profits from the Cecil Beanie Baby to charity which is good. The company is trying to raise awareness to the issue of trophy hunting and show that the brand cares which is good for its image.
But with rumors about that other companies are thinking of making Cecil comic books, even more toys, and who knows what, the people will be deferred from the actual issue – trophy hunting and will be make to think Cecil is just a media blitz and a money making machine.
We shouldn’t lose focus from the real issue – trophy hunting is wrong and it should be banned. The world claims that it is humane and cares for all living creatures, but it still thinks it is all right to kill said creatures for nothing else but pleasure. It doesn’t make any sense.
