Trademarkology
Brands, Trademarks, and Registration
What are “Crisps”?
England and America are two countries separated by a common language.--George Bernard ShawHow true, how true. Take the word "lift" for instance. Here in America, that's what I do when I go pick up my...
Batman and Rihanna: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
Found this at a great blog (pirated thoughts), which features all sorts of exciting developments in the world of comic book trademark law. Rihanna filed a trademark application last summer for her real name "ROBYN"...
Knocking out the Knock-Offs
Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Puma, and other brands owned by the French company Kering SA filed a lawsuit last week in New York, alleging that the Chinese online giant Alibaba Group knowingly let counterfeit goods...
Terrible or Genius? general, international, standard company names and marks (lowercase for emphasis)
Last month, I wrote about RadioShack being sold off in pieces, potentially separating the trademarks from the goodwill of the business (i.e., trademark homicide). This week, I read that the same hedge fund that purchased...
(Illegal) Drugs and Trademarks
(Illegal) Drugs and Trademarks After thinking more about the recent decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to (at least initially) refuse federal registration status to the mark SLANTS used by a band of...
Let the Record Show...
If the U.S Patent and Trademark Office (the "PTO") refuses registration of your mark, you may appeal to the Federal Circuit for review or begin a proceeding in district court. One of these routes is...
The Market is Ripe for Disruptive New Companies
Earlier this week Gallup reported that only half of 18 million people it surveyed "believe that the companies they do business with always deliver on what they promise." The article also reported that only 38%...
Disparagement, Political Correctness and the First Amendment.
When the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) cancelled six federal trademark registrations for the WASHINGTON REDSKINS mark, the decision received a lot of attention. Registration was refused on the basis that the REDSKINS...