File early. This doesn’t just apply to US trademark applications, which are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. File early in other countries, too. Otherwise, you might have your trademark hijacked. The US is a “first to use” jurisdiction. This means that whoever first uses a trademark in US commerce has priority, regardless of whether […]
We’re just days away from Super Bowl LIX, I mean the 59th Big Game. This time of year, you need to be careful about how you refer to the Championship of American Football. That’s because the Gridiron Gala is protected by a bunch of federal trademark registrations: Mark Goods/Services SUPER BOWL Reg: 846056 Serial: 72261119 […]
New President. New trademark applications. They go hand in hand. Donald Trump made headlines on Monday when he said he was serious about renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Hillary Clinton’s response also made headlines: Setting aside the issue as to whether this is even possible, I would expect to see […]
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that artificial intelligence is the hottest tech story of the 2020s. Like many of you, I started playing around with OpenAI’s ChatGPT last year, and I was blown away. I put it to good use by having it write silly songs about Bill Ferrell, tell me […]
The holidays are all about traditions. Some are fun like Christmas trees and presents. Some are a nuisance (ahem, elf on the shelf). Some are a means to an end like road trips. When I was growing up, we would take a road trip every year before Christmas from Baltimore to my grandparents’ house in […]
In the pantheon of Christmas movies, A Christmas Story ranks at the top for me. It’s partly because of volume. Thanks to the various marathons on TNT and TBS, I’ve seen it at least a hundred times. It’s partly because of the feels. Hilarious, nostalgic, sweet. Who doesn’t get a little misty when Ralphie’s dad […]
What is the greatest show in television history? Breaking Bad? Game of Thrones? The Wire? If you ask Kevin Hartley, there is only one answer: Survivor. Cue the music: “Ooo-Ahh, Ooo-Ahh, Ooo-Ahh-Ahh!” Today is a big day for Kevin. The Season 47 finale airs tonight. Who’s going to win? Rachel is the favorite, but don’t […]
In the United States, trademark owners are responsible for enforcing their trademark rights. Enforcement efforts typically begin and end with a cease and desist letter from the rights owner to the (alleged) infringer. Cease and desist letters are not public documents. As such, they are often heavy-handed and overreaching with short-fuse deadlines. Presumably, the senders […]
Is there a more beloved person in the music industry than Dolly Parton? I can’t think of one. I met her once, and she is every bit of lovely as you would expect. She even complimented my wife’s shoes. So it’s hard to believe that anyone would try to profit off her good name. But […]
When people think of trademarks, they often think of the usual source identifiers: brand names, product names, logos, and taglines. However, lots of other things can function as trademarks too. Take, for example, the famous fast-food clown, Ronald McDonald: The rock band Kiss created trademarks out of their make-up: The pro wrestler Sting followed suit […]
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