Mona Lisa effect

[Doug Knabe]

I'm sure Steinway would like to be in a position to trademark their 
sound, warts and all. Harley Davidson does this with the sound of their 
bikes. It's unique, and people have grown to love the sound. Therefore, 
it's a huge marketing win to create this kind of situation. MGM 
registered the roar of its lion as a trademark, and NBC registered its 
three-toned chime as a service mark. Not a bad strategy.

Doug Knabe
Dallas

Porritt, David wrote:

> Dale:
>
> I’ve been asked this question “Is it still a Steinway” and as I said 
> before, I can only admit I don’t understand the question. I’ve been 
> thinking today that there might be the Mona Lisa effect here. You can 
> like the Mona Lisa or not, your choice. However as the most widely 
> recognized work of art ANY change to it would be considered defacing 
> it. Is this what these people are asking? Do they think that Steinway 
> makes 3,000 Mona Lisas a year and that any change is defacing? 
> Steinway promotes this idea with their ads (“If it doesn’t have 12,011 
> genuine Steinway parts it isn’t a Steinway”). Is this what they are 
> thinking?
>
> dp
>
> David M. Porritt
>
> dporritt@smu.edu <mailto:dporritt@smu.edu>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] 
> *On Behalf Of *Erwinspiano@aol.com
> *Sent:* Wednesday, October 05, 2005 6:59 PM
> *To:* pianotech@ptg.org
> *Subject:* Re: Rebuilders gallery at national in Rochester (was 
> NewsandRochester)
>
> Dave
>
> Usually this comment comes from those not willing to open there mind 
> far enough to get some light to the cerebral cortex. Even while asking 
> the question they're dismissing the notion that a factory built 
> machine (pianner)can be performance enhanced. This usually followed by 
> a long nose in the air & a srut in the opposite direction be it on the 
> phone or otherwise.
>
> Really performance enhancement is so common these days in all kinds of 
> modern devices that eventually all the hype must fall down at some point.
>
> But hey some must follow the party line.
>
> Hey Hearing is believing. Come to Rochester.
>
> Dale Erwin
>
>     Dale:
>
>     So far everyone has loved it. What’s not to love? As to the people
>     who ask if it is still a Steinway I confess to them that I really
>     don’t understand the question. It is still a piano. It was
>     originally built by Steinway and it has now been redesigned as a
>     better piano. I just don’t know what they mean by the question. If
>     my Ford has been modified with a racing engine is it still a Ford?
>     I don’t know what that means.
>
>     Dave
>