Fruity Pebbles failed to attain a trademark for the various colors of its cereal. Scott Hervey and Jessica Marlow discuss the TTAB’s decision to reject the trademark application on this episode of The Briefing.
Watch this episode on the Weintraub YouTube channel or listen to this podcast episode here.
The FTC recently made changes to its guide concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. Scott Hervey and Jessica Marlow discuss these changes and their expected impact on the influencer marketing industry in this episode of The Briefing.
Watch this episode on the Weintraub YouTube channel or listen to this podcast episode here.
Companies rely on intellectual property (“IP”) rights to protect their valuable information, creations, and branding. IP rights come in several forms: copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets.
As the U.S. Copyright Office explains, copyrights protect “original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture.” Copyright protection exists at the time of creation of the artistic or literary work, but before enforcing the rights against an infringer, it is necessary register the work with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Continue Reading When Is Trade Secret Protection the Right Choice?While iconic catchphrases from TV and film can hold significant equity, protection of them can be spotty. Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler talk about the protectability of short phrases on this archive episode of The Briefing.
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In 1991, the grunge band, Nirvana, was one of the most popular musical acts in the U.S. with its anthem Smells Like Teen Spirit, which was featured on its album, Nevermind. Many will remember the cover of Nevermind that featured a naked baby swimming underwater and reaching for a dollar bill on a fishing hook. Three months after its release, Nevermind rose to the top of the Billboard 200 rankings and has sold over 30 million copies. The picture on the album was licensed for use on other merchandise, such as t-shirts, and was also the subject of various parodies. Now, 30 years later, Nirvana, its surviving members, and its record companies face a civil lawsuit for distributing child pornography by the now-grown man who was depicted on the album cover.
Continue Reading Nirvana Stuck in Lawsuit Over Nevermind Album Cover