Among the many colorful solutions proposed by Boing Boing readers to reports of I.P. enforcements against small-time cake bakers and piñata stuffers who fashion kids' goodies without license:
Here's an idea for the Disneys of the world: include a single-use license coupon with every DVD/CD/stuffed animal/whatever sold to the consumer. They would give have this coupon filled out by the business that is making the potentially infringing item–cake, piñata, decoratively carved watermelon–which can then be sent in, just like your standard registration card.
Offer monthly drawings for prizes. Indemnify businesses for custom items thus licensed.
Offer special licenses for businesses with a high number of "referrals" by these coupons. Security features could include serialized bar-codes or RFIDs. Everybody wins. Kids get to eat (or bash) anthropomorphized fish; parents get to have some peace (though no necessarily quiet); small businesses can keep doing what they do without having to hire an IP lawyer for every other order; trademark holders get another means to track and target customers; and most importantly, trademark holders get to maintain, if not increase customer good will.
It's not rocket science. Sigh.
— Paul TS Lee
Drop the piñata: Hollywood cracks down on unlicensed characters, Copyright cops crack down on cooks over cakes, Hollywood foots bill for LAPD spy cams