Trademarks

Guidelines for Third Party Use of
Metropolitan Brand Features

Use of the Metropolitan Brand Features

General Information

Although we’d like to accommodate all the requests we receive from users who want to add a touch of Metropolitan to their sites, we are passionate about protecting the reputation of our brand. That means we have to turn down many requests because sites imply that Metropolitan is endorsing them or is otherwise affiliated with them in a manner other than a supplier-customer business relationship. The same applies if Metropolitan’s trademarks, logos, web pages, screen shots, or other distinctive features (“Metropolitan Brand Features” or “Brand Features”) are associated with objectionable material, as determined by Metropolitan.

As a result, we require that you have Metropolitan’s explicit written permission before using any Metropolitan Brand Features. These Brand Features can be used only pursuant to these Guidelines, (our Terms and Conditions Coming Soon), and for the specific purposes for which Metropolitan has given permission. If you have a written agreement with Metropolitan that specifically addresses how you may use its Brand Features, you don’t need to go through the approval process here unless you want to do something other than what has been authorized in your existing agreement. Otherwise, the only time you can use Brand Features without advance written permission is if there is clear and express language on our website stating that you can use those Brand Features without first obtaining permission, such as is the case with our MDI Tool Bar. (The MDI Tool Bar was discontinued and is no longer supported by the company).

When you use any of our Brand Features, you must always follow the Rules for Proper Usage included in these Guidelines. In addition, Metropolitan may provide you with written requirements as to the size, typeface, colors, and other graphic characteristics of the Metropolitan Door Industries Brand Features. If we provide these requirements to you at the time of our approval, you must implement them before using our Brand Features. If we provide these requirements to you after we initially gave our permission, you must implement them within a commercially reasonable timeframe.

Approval Process

To request approval, complete the (Permission Request Form Coming Soon), and send it to us with the information specified in the form. Although we will try to respond within 10 business days, we cannot guarantee that, and you cannot use Metropolitan Brand Features until we have expressly granted you approval.

The approval to use Metropolitan Brand Features is limited to the information provided in your request. If your anticipated use changes, before or after, Metropolitan grants approval, you must update your request accordingly.

Please note that we can only give you permission to use the Metropolitan Brand Features. We cannot give you permission to use any brand features belonging to third parties.

Trademark Basics

What is a Trademark?

A trademark is a word, name, symbol or device (or a combination thereof) that identifies the goods or services of a person or company and distinguishes them from the goods and services of others. A trademark assures consumers of consistent quality with respect to those goods or services and aids in their promotion.

Why is it important to use marks correctly?

Rights to a trademark can last indefinitely if the owner continues to use the mark to identify its goods and services. If trademarks are not used properly, they may be lost and one of the company’s most important assets may lose all of its value. Rights may be lost not only because of a trademark owner’s improper use of the mark, but through improper use of the trademark by the public.

Rules For Proper Usage

Things to do:

  • If you are using a Metropolitan trademark, distinguish the trademark from the surrounding text in some way. Capitalize the first letter, capitalize or italicize the entire mark, place the mark in quotes, use a different type style or font for the mark than for the generic name.
  • If you do not capitalize the entire mark, always spell and capitalize the trademark exactly as they are shown in the Metropolitan Trademarks and Suggested Accepted Terms below.
  • Use a generic term following the trademark, for example: MDI doors, MDI access panels, MDI Tool Bar, Armor Defense bullet resistant doors and frames.
  • Use only Metropolitan-approved artwork when using Metropolitan’s logos.
  • If you are using a Metropolitan logo on a web page, there must exist a minimum spacing of 25 pixels between each side of the logo and other graphic or textual elements on your web page.
  • Normally, an unregistered Metropolitan Brand Feature should be followed by the superscripted letters TM to give notice that the company claims trademark rights in the term. A registered Metropolitan Brand Feature should be followed by the symbol ® to identify the term as a registered trademark. In advertising copy, notice of trademark rights may be provided in a footnote format – e.g., by placing an asterisk adjacent to the Metropolitan Brand Feature and placing an appropriate notice at the bottom of the page on which the asterisk appears. Example: *MDI is a registered trademark of Metropolitan Door Industries Corp.

Things you cannot do:

  • One of the conditions for all uses is that you can’t mess around with our marks. Only we get to do that. Don’t remove, distort or alter any element of a Metropolitan Brand Feature. That includes modifying a Metropolitan trademark, for example, through hyphenation, combination or abbreviation. Do not shorten, abbreviate, or create acronyms out of Metropolitan trademarks.
  • Don’t display a Metropolitan Brand Feature as the most prominent element on your web page.
  • Don’t display a Metropolitan Brand Feature in any manner that implies a relationship or affiliation with, sponsorship, or endorsement by Metropolitan, or that can be reasonably interpreted to suggest editorial content has been authored by, or represents the views or opinions of Metropolitan or Metropolitan personnel.
  • Don’t display a Metropolitan Brand Feature on any web site that contains or displays adult content, promotes gambling, involves the sale of tobacco or alcohol to persons under twenty-one years of age, or otherwise violates applicable law.
  • Don’t display a Metropolitan Brand Feature in a manner that is in Metropolitan’s sole opinion misleading, unfair, defamatory, infringing, libelous, disparaging, obscene or otherwise objectionable to Metropolitan.
  • Don’t display a Metropolitan Brand Feature on a site that violates any law or regulation.
  • Don’t frame or mirror any Metropolitan web page.
  • Don’t incorporate Metropolitan Brand Features into your own product name, service names, trademarks, logos, or company names.
  • Don’t copy or imitate Metropolitan’s trade dress, including the look and feel of Metropolitan web design properties or Metropolitan brand packaging, distinctive color combinations, typography, graphic designs, product icons, or imagery associated with Metropolitan.
  • Don’t adopt marks, logos, slogans, or designs that are confusingly similar to our Brand Features.
  • Don’t register Metropolitan trademarks as second-level domain names.
  • Don’t use Metropolitan trademarks in a way that suggests a common, descriptive, or generic meaning.
  • Trademark rights vary from country to country. Some countries have severe criminal and civil penalties for improper use of the registration symbol. Therefore, don’t use the registration symbol (®) in countries where the mark has not been registered.

If there is any question about usage, requests for clarification or permission, you may submit your detailed request to us by clicking here. Please remember to make your request as detailed as possible, even if that means sending us a mock-up design proto-type for our approval.

Metropolitan Trademarks, Slogans & Suggested Accepted Terms

TRADEMARKS

  • Armor DefenseTM
  • Door SolutionsTM
  • HMDTM Door Series
  • MDI®
  • MDI Designed Logo®
  • MDI DoorTM
  • MDI DoorsTM
  • MDI Tool BarTM
  • MetropolitanTM
  • Sonic ShieldTM
  • SOFTM

SLOGANS

  • A Complete Line of Doors, Frames and HardwareTM

SUGGESTED ACCEPTED TERMS

  • Metropolitan Armor DefenseTM Bullet Resistant Door & Frame Systems
  • Metropolitan Door SolutionsTM News Letter
  • Metropolitan HMDTM Door Series
  • MDI® Hollow Metal Doors and Frames
  • MDI® Hollow Metal
  • MDI® Doors
  • MDI® Adjustable KD Frames
  • Metropolitan Sonic ShieldTM Acoustic Doors & Frames

The absence of a name or logo in the above list does not constitute a waiver of any and all intellectual property rights that its owner has established in any of its product, feature, or service names or logos.

Metropolitan Door Industries Corp. has a financial interest in many trademarks, including the MDI (letters) and the MDI designed logo. Some of these trademarks are registered with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) and are owned by Metropolitan Door Industries Corp. and others are in-process. Nonetheless, these trademarks may not be used or reproduced without the advanced written permission of the executive management of Metropolitan Door Industries Corp.

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