Monster Cables picked the wrong guy to threaten (2008)

Outcome of the Monster vs Blue Jeans incident

• Linked follow-up shows Monster ultimately went silent after receiving Blue Jeans’ detailed response; no lawsuit or penalties followed.
• Some commenters say this undercuts the “picked the wrong guy” framing: Monster backed off, then likely continued similar tactics against easier targets.
• Others argue the public nature of the exchange inflicted reputational harm, reducing the intimidation value of Monster’s threats.

Legal bullying vs. smart enforcement

• Thread compares Monster to other heavy‑handed firms (Monster Energy, Caterpillar vs Cat & Cloud, Monster vs Monster Mini Golf).
• Multiple anecdotes: HOAs, small businesses, and individuals receiving aggressive demand letters over domains, logos, or trivial “infringements.”
• Contrast is drawn with “gold standard” polite cease‑and‑desists (Jack Daniel’s, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” bar letter), which explain the legal need to act, propose reasonable fixes, and avoid threats.

Trademark realities and countersuits

• Several people stress that trademark owners are indeed pressured to police infringement or risk dilution, which partly explains (but doesn’t excuse) overreach.
• Question raised: can you hit back just for a baseless threat? Answer: rarely worthwhile; “barratry” laws exist but are hard to use for one C&D.
• Declaratory judgments are mentioned as a tool: if someone threatens to sue, you can proactively sue to have their claims declared groundless.

Reactions to Blue Jeans’ letter and legal mindset

• Commenters admire how the author channels adrenaline into methodical legal analysis rather than panic; the discovery requests and antitrust hints are seen as a calculated threat back.
• Some note that this “I enjoy litigation and will go the distance” posture is standard litigator psychology, not just theatrics.

Monster, cables, and audiophile skepticism

• Many recall Monster’s high‑margin upsells and dubious performance claims, especially around digital video and “better picture.”
• Several point out that cable quality does matter at long runs/bandwidth (e.g., 4K HDMI, long projector runs), but not in the magical way Monster advertises.
• Audiophile marketing hyperbole around cables is widely mocked; people note that once a digital or analog spec is met, expensive “snake oil” doesn’t add value.

Blue Jeans Cable’s reputation

• Multiple commenters say this episode introduced them to Blue Jeans and led them to purchase; BJC is praised as an honest, technically solid, anti‑snake‑oil vendor.
• The story reinforces BJC’s brand as competent, no‑nonsense, and willing to push back against legal bullying.