News & Analysis as of

Trademark Registration Acquired Distinctiveness Intellectual Property Protection

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

[Webinar] Trademark Trends: A Mid-Year Review - July 17th, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT

Join Sterne Kessler’s Global Trademark & Brand Protection team for our mid-year review webinar, when we will take a closer look at the latest developments in trademark law. From recent court decisions to industry-trends, our...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Sole Searching: Trade Dress Hopes Booted as Functional, Nondistinctive

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The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court’s summary judgment grant in a trademark dispute, finding that the district court did not err in concluding that a subset of design elements lacked...more

Erise IP

What’s Trending in Trademarks, February 2024: Fruity Pebbles Denied Color Mark, Captain Cannabis Cancellation, Trader Joe’s vs....

Erise IP on

Every month, Erise’s trademark attorneys review the latest developments at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in the courts, and across the corporate world to bring you the stories that you should know about: Fruity...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

In His Trademark Era: Will Travis Kelce be Successful in Filing a Trademark Application to Protect His Name?

Is Travis Kelce’s newfound status as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend enough to meet the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) “acquired distinctiveness” standard? He plans to find out with the help of Time Person of...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - July 2023: How to Lose a Mark in 3 Ways – Part 2: Genericide

One of the signs of a healthy trademark is a certain level of distinctiveness. Distinctiveness is related to consumers’ love and recognition of a mark as an indicator of a product’s source, such that consumers trust the mark...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - July 2023

Thank you for reading the July 2023 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we continue our three-part series that closely examines ways to lose trademark rights with a discussion of genericide. We...more

Ladas & Parry LLP

TTAB Confirms that Building Design Marks Lack of Distinctiveness

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In In re Palacio Del Rio Inc (Serial Nos 88412764 and 88437801), the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) has issued an opinion affirming the refusal of two building design mark applications by Palacio Del Rio Inc (PDR) –...more

International Lawyers Network

High Court of Delhi holds that acquired distinctiveness is necessary for obtaining registration of a shape mark

In today’s age, the importance of brands (and in turn trademarks) cannot be undermined. It is through brands that businesses (be it domestic or international) are able to thrive and flourish in various highly competitive...more

Weintraub Tobin

Corporations Can Own Colors – and They Can Sue You for Using “Their” Color

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Many people associate brands with particular colors – if you think of Tiffany & Co., you think of its famous robins-egg blue boxes and branding; if you think of Barbie, you can see the bright pink that came with so many...more

Knobbe Martens

The Battle of Brooklyn: Lack of Concrete Injury and Prior Collaboration Doom TTAB Actions

Knobbe Martens on

BROOKLYN BREWERY CORPORATION V. BROOKLYN BREW SHOP, LLC - Before Judges Dyk, O’Malley, and Hughes. Appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Summary: A challenger must demonstrate an injury in fact to have...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - January 2021: Fading into the Background: Melissa & Doug's Red Oval Mark Unregistrable Without Evidence of...

In a recent non-precedential opinion, the TTAB affirmed a refusal to register Melissa & Doug, LLC’s red oval background mark (the “Proposed Mark”), finding that the acquired distinctiveness factors weighed against a finding...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

Trademark And Brand Protection: Don’t Miss An Opportunity To “Trade Dress” For The Part

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Most businesses are familiar with the concept of trademarking a word, logo, or slogan that serves as a unique identifier of their goods or services. After all, those are the markers that first come to mind when you think...more

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Kattison Avenue | Issue 3 - Summer 2020

Gambling With Graffiti: Using Street Art on Goods or in Advertising Comes With Significant Risks - Graffiti. Guerrilla Art. Street Art. Aerosol Art. Tagging. It appears on the sides of buildings, highway signs, boundary...more

Knobbe Martens

Registration of a Multi-Color Mark Does Not Require Acquired Distinctiveness

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In Re FORNEY INDUSTRIES, INC. Before Dyk, O’Malley, and Chen. Appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Summary: Multi-colored marks may be inherently distinctive when used on product packaging....more

Akerman LLP - Marks, Works & Secrets

The Joint is Just a Music Joint, Not a Trademark

The Federal Circuit in In re JC Hospitality LLC recently affirmed the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s refusal to register the service mark THE JOINT for a venue offering...more

Akerman LLP - Marks, Works & Secrets

Royal Palm Properties’ Trademark Gets Royal Treatment At The 11th Circuit

This trademark litigation arises out of a contentious real-estate rivalry in a very wealthy residential community called Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida....more

Womble Bond Dickinson

Intellectual Property Considerations and Guidance for Start-Ups: Trademarks

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Trademarks protect distinctive marks, such as brand names, logos, and designs. This protection allows a trademark holder to exclude others from using the mark without permission of the owner. The following includes important,...more

Mintz - Trademark & Copyright Viewpoints

Significant 2018 Trademark Decisions

This year the Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Circuit Courts penned a number of opinions impacting trademark law. Here are some key takeaways from the past year...more

Hogan Lovells

Federal Circuit revives Converse’s Chuck Taylor trademark and infringement claims

Hogan Lovells on

In a recent decision that illustrates the relevance of timing in evaluating the question of secondary meaning, the Court of Appeals of the Federal Circuit breathed new life into Converse’s “Chuck Taylor” sneaker design...more

Fenwick & West LLP

Is ‘Zero’ Generic or Descriptive? Coca-Cola Loses Battle on Appeal to Federal Circuit

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If you have ever had a Coke Zero, what do you understand ZERO to mean – “zero calories,” “zero sugar,” “zero carbohydrates” or some combination of each? If your friend who never had a Coke Zero asked you what the difference...more

Fenwick & West LLP

Intellectual Property Bulletin - Fall 2018

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In This Issue - Gender Diversity in Patenting: Current Landscape and Recommendations - The gender gap in patenting is a current challenge that companies face. While this issue seems pervasive, companies and lawyers can...more

Akerman LLP - Marks, Works & Secrets

The Skinny on “Thins”

According to the Federal Circuit, the skinny on the term “Thins” is that it may be generic for thinly cut snack crackers. Real Foods Pty Ltd. V. Frito-Lay North America, Inc., (October 4, 2018 Fed. Cir.)....more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - September 2018: When the Other Shoe Drops – Keep Calm and (Trade) Dress Up

Design patents are often the go-to option for protecting the visual features, or design, of a product. But design patent protection is not always available, such as after the product has been on sale, offered for sale, or...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - August 2018: Nose Ahead of the Competition: Protecting Play-Doh

Since the Lanham Act was passed in 1946, trademark protection has encompassed an ever expanding list of attributes that can be perceived as denoting the source of a product or service. Recently issued registrations cover...more

Jaburg Wilk

Hasbro Just Successfully Trademarked the Smell of Play-Doh

Jaburg Wilk on

On May 15, 2018, the United States Patent and Trademark Office officially registered the distinctive smell of Play-Doh, a favorite childhood toy for many. The federal registration covers “Toy modeling compounds” and states...more

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