Trademark Crash Course

No protection over “ideas” › It’s all about execution, use determines IP

protection

“source identifier” of goods and services › Consumer trust and loyalty › Consumer perception, – can easily ID

goods/services they want, consistent quality. Words and design (logos) most common

› sound, color, packaging possible › Thresholds higher for certain types

A trademark is NOT: › Art – just b/c you created it, doesn’t mean it’s a

trademark. › advertisement

Generic: Not protectable › Tissue v. Kleenex › Never use brand as noun › Asprin, Thermos

Descriptive › Boston Marketing, Electronics Land › Possible solutions: Disclaimers, Supplemental w/ secondary

meaning Suggestive

› Boston Market, Circuit City, Haystack Arbitrary

› Apple Fanciful

Other factors: › Marketplace impression

How do people perceive your mark? Strawberry Fields

Tea, cereal fertilizer

› Culture Color Symbols/gestures Translations (Nova)

Class/industry

› Some space to grow, deference by USPTO › When searching: how “crowded” is your space? Certain words that mean nothing in other industries may

be “descriptive” in your industry “i”, “green,”

“Use in commerce” for full reg › Specific – no ads, alone (no sentence), certain reqs for

industries (clothing) › Each class, examples w/i class acceptable

Perpetual w/ continued use, must “check in”

Registration › Exclusivity › Nation-wide

presumed › Basis for int’l filing › Incontestability (5

yrs) › Statutory damages

(3x) › ® › Intent-to-use

Common Law › Only via actual and

continued use › Geo limits › TM only › Defend rights, not

assert.

Policing: google alerts, C&D Use it or lose it Be consistent, esp w/ logos.

› “Redesigns” need new registrations › Slogans

What is your IP strategy? For enforcement?

“Likelihood of confusion” (some factors) › Consumer perception/actual confusion –

not about brand owner › Side-by-side/initial impression › Phonetics, letter changes not strong

argument › Intent of defendant › Channels/customers › Sophistication of consumers

Shannon (Jamieson) Sadowski [email protected] newleaflegal.com Phone: 617-398-7566