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Massage Cupping ownership

I didn't want to be negative energy on the other blog - so started this to discuss this issue of claims of ownership, originating source and Trade Mark of Massage Cupping.

My family is from Sicily where Massage Cupping has been used for generations. Here in the U.S. we live in a region that is really ethnically diverse - I've a number of colleagues and clients who talk about massage cupping being popular from where they are from all over Asia, Russia and Europe - even South America and
Australia. Ilkay Chirali, Irina Litwicka, Olena Adams, Dr. Ling Zhi
Sheng and Bruce Bentley (just to name a few) have been teaching Massage Cupping
techniques much longer than Anita Shannon.

I recently took the Contemporary Cupping Methods class, which BTW was the best workshop I have EVER taken - my friends did not exaggerate... anyway - I plan on using the term
"Massage Cupping" to promote my business and was confronted with this claim of ownership / TM of Massage Cupping on this blog, ads I've seen with it in magazines and on
the massagecupping.com website. It is illegal to use a Trade Mark name someone else owns.

Since Michael Krizek did not answer my question, my employer accessed the public records at www.uspto.gov - "Searched Marks" under Trade Marks for Massage Cupping. What we found is from 8-31-06 through 10-02-09 Anita Shannon was repeatedly denied the Trade Mark based in part on
the historical evidence that it existed prior to her claim to ownership.

Why does Anita Shannon claim a Trade Mark on Massage Cupping if she has been denied by the USPTO almost a year ago?

Well, at least now after looking into it, I know it is free to use - but it's misleading and illegal to use (tm) when you don't have it, and would like to know why it is happening.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on September 3, 2010 at 8:10am

This is very interesting. It shows that a little research is worth the time. Trademarking is widely done in the Massage Industry in order to control a name for the purpose of marketing. The internet is a wonderful tool. A decade ago you had to hire an attorney or go to a depository library to check physically in the government's publication. This is a great tool.

As for why someone would claim ownership if denied, I hope we hear an explanation.

Permalink Reply by Michael Krizek 6304 on September 3, 2010 at 10:36am

I am sorry you feel there has been any negative energy. I am not trying to impose this at all . By the way, I am also of Italian decent. Clearly our discussion issue of "Cupping " we have been talking about is very interesting. Credit to the origin of "Cupping" belongs to China, Eygpt ,Europe .

As mentioned, and as you know, "Cupping" has been around for centuries. No one denies this. Yeah! we both agree.

You mentioned that Massage Cupping(tm) has been used in Europe for generations. Re-check what the Euopeans called it. They called it Cupping. Not Massage Cupping (tm) I am not trying to split hairs here, but Massage Cupping(tm) is a 21st century method/tecnique and name of using " Vacuume Cups on the body" in a much different way then the earlier Europeans and Asian cultures did.

I think the confusion comes when someone like Anita Shannon took an old method of placeing cups on the body and she experimented by moving the cups around the body in a specifc mannor. Her techniques of using a variety of different vacuum levels, cup sizes, types etc etc thus obtaining many different results. The ownership Anita Shannon has is that she developed a "NEW" way to using the cups. That is all.

Anita Shannon than developed protocols, education materials in the movement of the cups , versus having the cups sit in one place. She used all kinds of cups, from around the world. She continued to experiment which ones worked well for a variety of pathologies and conditions. Over time her new founded techniques developed the teaching protocols which are now taught throught out the USA and Europe .Thus the birth of "Massage Cupping" (tm) bodywork as originated by Anita Shannon. She now has level 1, level 2 and advanced MediCupping (tm) training.. I am sure she will have more educational programs for us all as her on going clinical studies continue to produce postitive results.

Certainly , this is not Asian cupping. This was further confrimed by the Chinese board of medicine, and after their review, they also determined this was not oriental medicine, nor Asian Chinese Cupping. So she is not taking any credit from ancient history rather further development of a new technique of use.

From the very start she has always called her company " Massage Cupping" (tm). It is in fact her company's registered brand name and always has been so right from the get go.

I guess if you want to use her company name in describing the method of cupping you do, you must be a big fan. Personnely I promote myself and my company , but I let my clients know I use the Massage Cupping(tm) bodywork methods in my practice. And if these same clients google Massage Cupping (tm) on google they get further information directly from her web site about what I have learned.

If you google Massage Cupping (tm) or Anita Shannon they are synonymous. I searched for the name massage cupping and it was never used to describe any form of "Cupping" until it was released as such and developed and labeled as a massage therapy technique developed by Anita Shannon.The documents and dates show this clearly. Thus the name, and the term Massage Cupping (tm) was established by Anita Shannon. Hey check out 18th, 19th, 20th century terms for cupping. Everyone from those periods called it "Cupping". Nothing more.

I think what we are talking about is something like this. First came the term (Pizza) , then came Pizza Hut, Then came Poppa Johns. so and so . Don't you agree. By the way. I do not like any of the Franchise Pizza places, I prefer Angelo's in little Italy on Mulberry St in NYNY. Check it out . The best!

Due to the overwhelming popularity of Anita Shannon's Massage Cupping(tm) bodywork technique. Masage therapists , PT's and medical health care professionals flocked to her trainings. On the other hand many competitive companies and rouge pirates saw this flurry of popuality and decended upon her good will , her designed bodywork movements, and techniques. Her training methods and registered materials were wrong fully traded on by others in an obvious way to try and capture a place in this form of specfic bodywork.

I continue to see this pirate like behavior everywhere, and it is a genuine problem in many industries. Especially our industry. Someone develops something and another unconsious individual grabs it and try's to make it their own. This happened to two other modalites I know of . Bamboo Fusion and Slip Stream. Both founded their techniques and equipment and Whamo In comes the pirates.

I think the saving grace for Anita Shannon was her longevity in the market place .The industry leaders who saw her grow her company , and her consistant focus on the methods she developed , saw the pirates that were trading on her good will and technique. They in turn rallied behind her. Bravo!

If you choose to look back a bit further. 2000, 2001 she holds a registration for the name for Massage Cupping (tm). The tm/ or R is that it is a legally registered as such and so is this technique she developed. What confuses me is everyone thinks she is stealing something. She never claimed to be the originator of Asian 'Cupping" or " Cupping" She developed a new method on her own and called her work Massage Cupping ( tm) bodywork. That's it.

And as time goes on in this industry, we will see more new names crop up for new and improved "Cupping" modalites which I am sure we will all benefit from.

I kinda look at this modality of "Cupping" like any other inventions like that of the automobile.

Henry Ford certainly came out with a great invention. THE CAR. But look what happened to the automobile. GM,Toyoto,BMW and a whole host of others took it to a whole new level. Did these companies keep the original name, of course not. They we not foolish enough to trade on Henry Fords name. And why bother promoting him . What the competitors did was add new things to Henry Fords original design. Each of them had their successes and failure but by and by the big three remain.

Did Henry Ford stick his head in the sand and bark at what now had become competitors? No he did not.

In fact he" focused on his dream" not the competition. Ford Motor company. as of yesterday, remains the most profitable USA manufacturer of automobiles in the world. Do I drive a Ford. No , I drive GMC. But it does not mean that Ford is not a great car.

Then 21st century method for "Cupping" is Massage Cupping(tm) . It offers tons of cups, it has a variety of automated machines, and new developments are coming out every year for practionioners to use. I think it is great when you see someone so passionate about what they do that continue to evolve despite any adversity.

Asian "Cupping" I think will always have it's place.

Thank you for your input, I enjoyed sharing with you. On another topic, I hope we can discuss some of the successes you may be having with the method's of "Cupping" you practice or other work work techniques you are using. I love to hear about methods that can better treat my clients and I am sure many of the members in this blog can contribute also.

Permalink Reply by Maria Fiorino on September 3, 2010 at 11:50am

But you have not answered my question Michael - why does Anita Shannon put TM next to Massage Cupping when that TM has been irrefutably denied? And I thought her company's' name was ACE?

I have done a lot of research both on the net and at the local library, today, I am going to the National Library of Medicine in NYC to gather more information about this issue as I know for a fact the the words Massage Cupping certainly before the year 2000.