A solution for Hollywood cake crackdowns and piñata busts?

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