David v. Goliath or Norm v. The Purple Cow

Hey friends I need your help! Since 2016 I have been publishing “ship to shore” a photographic guide to promote my friends with small businesses around the south coast.

in November the publisher of the local newspaper in Sidney copied the design, claiming it was her purple cow moment a having a “crazy thirst for a new ideas…a special way for our newspaper to showcase our local, remarkable business community in a way that would expose more personality, with real people in their place of business…”

When I was handed a copy of the publication my friend said someone is riding your coattails, when I opened it I thought no, they have stolen my coat.

I wrote to the owner of the publishing company in hope that he wouldn’t support such a blatant copy of my work. I had paid his printing press over $100,000. to print ship to shore in the first five years. I was proud that it was an island production, the paper was made locally too.

I have retained a lawyer who specializes in ethics and intellectual property rights, and started a suit in provincial court.

The legal fees are killing me! $7,000 and counting.

After beating cancer and not being able to publishing ship to shore during the damndemic I’m financially tapped out.

ship to shore has never made a profit, that has never been my mission, just breaking even each year to enable me to continue to support the creative entrepreneurs that make our coast unique has always been and continues to be my only goal.

Legal fees are not recoverable in provincial court, there is a possibility that punitive damages can be awarded, however I first have to win! If I do prevail and am awarded punitive damages I’ll make a donation to my favourite organization BC Cancer.

It’s not about financial damages/compensation it is about protecting my creative rights. I’ve worked in advertising & design all my life and ship to shore is the proudest moment of my career. It’s a love project - I love everyone involved.

The media company has over 500 employees and is valued at over $160M why they would copy me instead of simply designing their own product baffles me.

one guy on a boat!?

Pease help me stay afloat!

Much love, Norm