A recent advertisement, strikingly similar to Yamato Transport's "delivery attempt notice," has sparked controversy on social media. The promotional flyer, from a teeth straightening service, was designed to closely mimic Yamato Transport's official notification, leading some members of the public to mistake it for important mail. In response, Yamato Transport has demanded that the company cease distributing the ad.
The controversy began when X (formerly Twitter) user Ebizawa (@ebisawade) posted about finding the ad mixed in with their mail on March 1. The flyer, titled "No Consultation Required Notice," featured a color scheme, layout, and phrasing almost identical to Yamato Transport's "delivery attempt notice." It even included the "Ta-Q-Bin" trademark, which is registered by Yamato Transport.
▼Yamato Transport's "delivery attempt notice"
Following the post, many netizens expressed their dissatisfaction, with comments such as: "This marketing tactic is too misleading," and "At first, I thought it was important mail, but then I realized it was an ad after a closer look." Ebizawa himself stated, "Although the ad clearly states 'This is an advertisement' at the very bottom, it's hard to notice when stacked with other mail. This practice is truly uncomfortable."
Yamato Transport: Unauthorized Trademark Use Will Not Be Tolerated
In response, Yamato Transport told Netorabo on March 5, "We became aware of this matter through social media posts and have already requested the company to stop distributing this advertisement."
Yamato Transport further emphasized, "The design of this advertisement can easily mislead people into believing it is our official notice. We absolutely will not tolerate the unauthorized use of our registered trademarks or intellectual property." It remains to be seen whether the company will take further legal action.
via： ねとらぼ