Ford takes on Jurassic Park over the rights to the name "Raptor"

The oval-badged firm is trying to stop Universal Pictures from naming a range of toy cars the same way as its famous pick-up.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ´Raptor`? A prehistoric dinosaur that uses its claws to tear out your insides, or the Ford F-150 Raptor (the most famous pick-up from the oval-badged firm)? To make sure the second option is the only one approved, Ford has decided to file an objection against the name of a toy car – based on the dinosaur – registered by Universal Studios, arguing that children may confuse it with the name of its pick-up.

The law firm Morrison Lee has discovered that the people behind the Jurassic Park franchise intend to patent the term ´Raptor Squad`, a name the film company would use to name a series of toy cars associated with the dinosaurs from its films.

On learning of this, Ford has firmly opposed the registration of that name, arguing that children playing with these cars will think they are official Ford products. The oval-badged brand also has a range of remote-controlled cars named ´Raptor`, so Universal’s use of the same name could lead to confusion.

Given the importance of the Ford F-150 to the American firm’s commercial performance (it has been the best-selling vehicle in America for several years) and the influence a toy car can have on a child’s mind, everything suggests that Ford will not stop until it secures exclusive rights to the name of its pick-up.