By Most people are familiar with the concept of trademarks in the form of logos or words. But intellectual property can also be embodied in sounds not represented by words and drawings, but rather musical notes and/or auditory tones. While sound marks are not nearly as common as word marks, many sound marks are immediately recognizable, including Southwest Airline’s “Ding!,” MGM’s roaring lion, AOL’s “You’ve got mail,” the Pillsbury Doughboy’s giggle, NBC’s chimes, Nokia’s default cell phone ringtone, and the Harlem Globetrotter’s theme song. However, the legal requirements to register such sound marks are different than word marks, and much less well-defined by the courts.Continue Reading Sound Marks — Registration Basics
7th Circuit Case Should Serve As A Reminder To Business Attorneys
by Scott Hervey
Recently the 7th Circuit in Sunstar, Inc. v. Alberto-Culver Company provided a reminder to attorneys engaging in a business transaction between domestic and a foreign parties. Stated plainly, the 7th Circuit reminded business attorneys that if a term is included in a transaction document – especially if that term is a foreign word – be sure you understand what it means. This case presented the question of how a foreign legal term included in a trademark license agreement should be interpreted where the choice of law for such agreement was Illinois state law. Continue Reading 7th Circuit Case Should Serve As A Reminder To Business Attorneys
Trademark Basics: Dilution
By Jeff Pietsch
Not all trademark law is aimed at protecting consumers. The Federal Trademark Dilution Act (“Act”) is aimed at protecting a company’s property right in its trademark. Dilution is defined as “the lessening of the capacity of a famous mark to identify and distinguish goods or services, regardless of the presence or absence of competition between the parties or the likelihood of confusion, mistake or deception.” In essence, dilution forbids the use of a famous trademark by others in any manner that lessens the uniqueness of the mark. Again, the purpose of the dilution doctrine is not to protect the consumer, but to protect the property right and goodwill that a company has developed in a mark.Continue Reading Trademark Basics: Dilution
The Parody Defense to Trademark Infringement: The North Face vs. The South Butt
By Missouri teenager Jimmy Winkelmann grew weary of his high school classmates’ blind and materialistic infatuation with The North Face products, and decided something had to be done. Mr. Winkelmann’s answer was to come up with his own competing apparel line to mock the ubiquitous North Face fleece jackets found on his high school campus. He called his line “The South Butt” and designed a suspiciously similar logo to that of The North Face.
Continue Reading The Parody Defense to Trademark Infringement: The North Face vs. The South Butt
Hallmark Cards Raises Unique Defense to Paris Hilton’s Right of Publicity Claim – That’s Hot
by Scott Hervey
This is about a birthday card. Not just any birthday card mind you. This birthday card, produced by Hallmark Cards, depicts a cartoon waitress, dressed in an apron, serving food to a restaurant customer. However, not just any waitress could create such a controversy requiring an appeal to the 9th Circuit. This waitress has, for her head, an oversized photograph of Paris Hilton’s head, and is engaged in witty banter with the customer wherein the cartoon waitress with the oversized Paris Hilton head states Paris’ trademarked (yes, she did file for Federal trademark protection) phrase, “That’s Hot.” What’s all the fuss about? Apparently Hallmark forgot to ask the young heiress if they could use her picture on their card.Continue Reading Hallmark Cards Raises Unique Defense to Paris Hilton’s Right of Publicity Claim – That’s Hot