A car wash business located on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile’s capital, has found itself in hot water. Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios since 2012, has reportedly sued the business for copyright infringement. The bone of contention? Well, it’s all about that business name, ‘Star Wash.’
The car wash’s owner, Matias Jara, openly acknowledges that the name was indeed inspired by the iconic film franchise, “Star Wars.” According to Jara, the creative idea originated from his daughter, who proposed the pun after a visit to a Disney park in the United States.
Jara has fully embraced the theme, going beyond just the name. Not only are company signs adorned with the iconic Star Wars font, but employees are also dressed as characters from the franchise in various social media posts. If you scroll through their Instagram, you’ll spot individuals donning costumes like Chewbacca, Darth Vader, and Imperial Storm Troopers while diligently cleaning cars.
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The predicament for Star Wash began when Jara initiated the process of registering his brand with the Chilean patent office, as reported by The Telegraph. It was at this point that the business owners’ legal team received a lawsuit from Lucasfilm, aimed at preventing the brand’s registration.
The American film company claimed that the car wash’s branding could give people the incorrect impression that it was associated with the Star Wars brand, the lawyers say. However, Jara is contesting the suit, arguing that the name is different enough from the franchise to avoid confusion. He also claims that Lucasfilm’s copyright doesn’t extend to car washes in the same way that it might to products such as toys, furniture, and beverages.
“We don’t make movies or sell their products or anything like that,” Jara said. Nonetheless, he did assert that Star Wash provides a “stellar” car cleaning service. Whether or not he can hold out against Lucasfilm is not clear.
“Of course this lawsuit is affecting us,” Jara said. “We’re a small business, and we’re spending on things we hadn’t budgeted for.”