Fast, Easy, and Affordable Trademark Searches
Unlike the naming process, which is a creative process, the trademark search process is scientific, and the evaluation of the trademark search results follows certain rules. Learn the process and the rules and you will be conducting trademark searches like a pro. Follow the tips in this post while conducting a trademark search and interpreting …
Continue reading “4 Tips Every Person Naming Something Must Know”
In previous posts, we discussed the principles the Trademark Office applies when assessing the similarity of two trademarks and how some of those principles are applied in practice. But we have never discussed the importance of breaking up a trademark when conducting a trademark search. Breaking up a trademark and searching the parts is just …
Continue reading “Break Up a Trademark when Searching for Better Results”
Greater weight is often given to words over designs when evaluating the similarity of two trademarks because purchasers use words to request or refer to goods or services. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, however, has said there is no general rule that words trump design in the likelihood of confusion …
Continue reading “The Factual Situation When Trademark Design Trumps Words”
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is the primary reviewing Court for a TTAB decision. Certain standards of review apply when the case involves the likelihood of confusion test, which is the same test trademark searchers apply when evaluating the potential for a conflict with a prior trademark. Understanding how the …
Continue reading “Appealing a TTAB Decision? Ties Go To the USPTO”
In Entertainment Content, Inc . v. Cooper Holdings, Inc., by change of name from Career Sports & Entertainment, Inc. we saw the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board chip away at the 17 third-party registrations that Cooper Holdings offered to demonstrate the conceptual weakness of the JUSTICE CENTRAL mark. What started as a promising argument quickly …
Continue reading “Conceptual Weakness Must Focus on Registrant’s Goods”
The relatedness of goods and services factor is very important in the likelihood of confusion analysis. Indeed, the fundamental inquiry mandated by Section 2(d) of the Trademark Act goes to the cumulative effect of differences in the essential characteristics of the goods and differences in the marks. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board issued a …
Continue reading “A Deep Dive on the Relatedness of Goods and Services Factor”
Trademark dilution is one of three key likelihood of confusion factors that must be evaluated when conducting a trademark search and then re-evaluated if a registration refusal arises. Trademark dilution directly impacts the evaluation of the other likelihood of confusion factors. The weaker the senior user’s mark, the closer the junior user’s mark can come …
Continue reading “Trademark Dilution is Deciding Factor In Recent TTAB Case”
The Willamette Week reported that a Portland vegan ice cream company changed its name to Little Chickpea after Gerber complained that the company’s proposed LITTLE BEAN name was likely to cause confusion with its registered mark LIL’ BEANIES. Little Chickpea said in the story that Gerber insisted that the company change its name even though …
Continue reading “Infringing LIL’ BEANIES is not Like Taking Candy from a Baby”
The analysis of the similarity of the marks involves the consideration of three factors: (1) visual similarity; (2) sound similarity; and (3) similar connotation. Generally, the visual similarity of the marks factor trumps the other two factors. But for the second time in about three months, the connotation factor has been the dispositive factor. Don’t …
Continue reading “Connotation is the Deciding Factor in Registration Refusal”
Before you get too excited about the headline, this most recent TTAB decision may be another curveball and something that will not become the norm. On the other hand, it could be the start of something so we will be watching to see if another trend develops. The trend that may be starting is whether …
Continue reading “Do You Believe in Miracles … Trade Channels Decide TTAB Case”