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Confusingly Similar Trademark Applications

April 28, 2015 — Leave a comment

As we have highlighted on this blog before, you should always perform a trademark search before applying for a trademark. There are many reasons for this, one of which is because you don’t want to waste time and money applying for a mark if someone else already registered your mark or another confusingly similar mark.

If your search reveals that someone else has such a registration, you have several options.

First, check the goods and services associated with the registration.

If the goods and services is for faucets and you want to operate an airline, you are probably ok. That is because consumers won’t be confused into thinking your airline is associated with the faucet manufacturer. Figured it out yet? We’re talking about Delta. Delta airlines is rarely confused with Delta faucets, therefore registrations for both would likely be allowed by the USPTO.

(There are some limits to that for famous marks. For example, you probably can’t use “McDonalds” for any reason, even to sell computers, simply because of how famous their mark is in the eyes of consumers.)

Second, you might be able to keep using your mark, even if the goods and services are the same.

As we’ve said before, trademark rights stem from use in commerce. If you’ve used your mark in your hometown for years and someone else obtains a USPTO registration of your mark because they use it too (on the other side of the country), that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stop because you used it first.

However, it probably means you can’t expand too far. You might be able to expand to a neighboring city, but your rights to expand nationwide would be much more limited. This is why you should always seek registration when you can!

Third, pick a new mark.

This is sometime easy (for new companies) and sometimes really hard (for old established companies).

If this is an option for you, it is often a simple way to fix the potential confusion that may result from two similar names.

Lastly, get permission!

Although this is not always an option, it might work in your case. We’ve seen it work before.

Look up the owner of the registration in the USPTO database. Do your research. And if you find that confusion is unlikely, you can contact them and ask them to write you a letter (which you might write for them to sign) that says they consent to your registration of your application. You can then submit that electronically along with your application and the USPTO will accept that and allow your mark to be registered (pending other reviews of course).

What Next?

Talk to an attorney!

While an attorney isn’t always necessary in the trademark world, these are tricky issues and you should seek the advice of a trademark attorney before proceeding with these matters. They can help you in many ways.

If you have questions, you can learn more on our website, www.mightymarks.com, and you can contact us if you have specific questions!

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Image: Thinkstock/RomoloTavani
*This article is very general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult with an attorney prior to making any legal decisions.

In Trademark Disputes, Trademark Law , , ,
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Trademark Application Roundup

April 14, 2015 — Leave a comment

Our last post provided a solid recap of trademark law and provided links to various blog posts we’ve written over the last year with respect to trademark law.

This week, we want to do another roundup. This time though we will focus on trademark applications and how to get your mark protected by the United States Patent and Trademark Office!

First, you should always perform a trademark search.

In order to obtain a federal trademark registration you have to certify that you have the right to the mark for which you seek protection. The USPTO will also search its database to see if there are any conflicting marks.

To help, it is always a good idea to perform a trademark search. You can read more about that in this post, How to Perform a Trademark Search, and lean why an attorney can is helpful with searches in this post, The Benefits of Using an Attorney to Conduct a Trademark Search.

Second, sometimes you need a trademark attorney, sometimes you don’t.

Once your search is complete and you are ready to apply, you have a lot of options.

Many times you need an attorney, but other times you don’t. We covered that in our post Do I Need an Attorney to Trademark My Business Name.

If you want to talk with an attorney, we also have tips on How to Find & Hire a Trademark Attorney.

Third, how to file a trademark application.

Now you are ready to file your application.

If you are going it alone, you should check out this post, How to File a Trademark Application Without an Attorney.

You should read that post even if you are using an attorney because it will help you understand the process.

In the process, you’ll have to submit a specimen of use. This provides the USPTO with evidence that you are actually using the mark in commerce. You can learn more about this in our post How to Find a Good Trademark Specimen.

Fourth, what to do if your mark is denied.

Lastly, remember that many applications are denied. You might be denied for failure to submit a good specimen, or perhaps you checked a wrong box. Other common reasons include the descriptive nature of your mark and also possible confusion with other existing registrations.

Regardless, you should read our post What You Should Do if Your Trademark Application is Denied to learn about what to do next.

As we said in our last post, we are excited to continue covering trademark law and offering innovative trademarking services online. If you want to seek trademark protection for your mark, please check out our website, MightyMarks.com to learn more!

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*This article is very general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult with an attorney prior to making any legal decisions.

In Trademark Law , ,
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How to Find a Good Trademark Specimen

July 22, 2014 — 2 Comments

When you file for federal trademark protection with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, you must file a Specimen of Use. This is because you may only protect marks that you actually use in commerce (or in some cases marks that you intend to use in the near future). However, the issue of what constitutes an acceptable specimen of use is sometimes confusing. In this post we will help to clarify what you should, and should not, file.

Specimen Defined

The USPTO states that a specimen is “a sample of how you actually use your mark with the goods and/or services identified in your application.” Typically that means the USPTO wants to see how you use the mark in commerce and how a consumer is likely to see your mark on the goods or associated with the services. As you might have picked up, there are different requirements for usage on goods versus usage for services.

Specimens for Goods

When applying for a mark associated with the sale of a particular good, the USPTO will require a specimen attached to the actual goods itself. That means a shirt tag, on the packaging, or sometimes on a promotional stand or window display. Copies of invoices and other marketing materials are usually not sufficient.

The USPTO maintains a large list of acceptable specimens for goods and they include in that list product labels, product packaging, product display signage, and screenshots of websites where the goods may be purchased.

Specimens for Services

Since services are often intangible, the specimen requirements for service mark applications are a little easier to satisfy. Typically the USPTO will require a specimen that shows how the mark is used in the “sale, rendering, or advertising of the services.” The key is to use the mark in close proximity to the services performed.

The USPTO’s list of acceptable specimens for services include advertising materials, brochures, restaurant menus, business cards, and business signs.

Specimen Refusal

If you submit an application with an improper specimen, the USPTO will likely send you an Office Action requiring you to submit a proper specimen. If your application is denied for this basis, it is important that you respond quickly so you don’t lose your application. If you have questions about your specimen you can also call the examiner that denied your application (their phone number will be on the Office Action).

You will then be required to submit a proper specimen that was in actual use on or before the date of your application. If you cannot do this, then your application will not get passed the examiner.

And remember, if you are confused about what constitutes a good trademark specimen, the attorneys at Mighty Marks® are ready to help you through the process.

Image: Thinkstock/darkovujic

*This article is very general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult with an attorney prior to making any legal decisions.

In Trademark Law , , ,
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What You Should Do If Your Trademark Application Is Denied

July 15, 2014 — 4 Comments

Unfortunately the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denies a lot of applications. Sometimes the denial is a simple formality, other times it is more challenging. When the office denies an application it will issue an “Office Action” which is simply a rejection letter explaining the office’s reasoning for the denial. In this post we will cover some common reasons for a denial and what you can do to fix them.

Don’t Ignore the Office Action

The first thing to consider is the timing of the rejection. As soon as you receive an Office Action, you should place multiple notes on your calendar. The office will require a response within six months so you should place that date, as well as a couple reminder dates, on your calendar. If you fail to respond on time, you will lose your application.

Deficiencies; Disclaimers; Specimens

Many applications are denied for simple administrative type issues. Luckily, these are usually easy to fix, but not always. One example is a rejection due to confusion over who the applicant is. You should make sure it is clear whether you, or a registered business entity, is the owner/applicant.

Another example is when you’ve included a word that you may not protect. For example, in our example about Evan’s Coffee Shop, the USPTO would likely require the application to disclaim “Coffee Shop” because you can’t protect a descriptive term. However, you could still claim ownership of “Evan.”

Lastly, your specimens might be insufficient. You must submit specimens of use that clearly show the mark as it is connected to you, the source of the good or service. Specimen submissions can be tricky and we will cover that in a later post.

Descriptiveness

Another common reason applications are denied involve the inability to register a mark that is descriptive. When an application is rejected for this reason it can be very difficult to overcome the rejection. You will have to submit a document similar to a legal brief, hopefully including citations to case law, that explains your argument as to why the mark is not descriptive. This can be complex and you should seek legal counsel for these types of rejections.

Likelihood of Confusion

Another complicated rejection is likelihood of confusion with a prior registration. When an examiner reviews your application, he or she will search for prior registrations. If your mark is likely to cause consumer confusion with a prior application, you will get an Office Action.

Again, you will likely need to submit a brief arguing why you believe consumer confusion is not likely. Perhaps the goods and services are sufficiently different, or perhaps the examiner’s conclusion is unreasonable. Regardless, this brief can be complex and this is another type of rejection for which an attorney’s assistance can prove important.

Be Proactive

The good news is many of these issues can be avoided or at least mitigated to some degree with proper due diligence before submitting an application. You should always perform a trademark search before submitting your application and it is often a best practice to seek legal counsel to assist with your application.

That’s where we come in. We’ve filed a lot of applications and would be happy to assist you. Contact us today to learn about your trademark rights!

Image: Thinkstock/Aquir

*This article is very general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult with an attorney prior to making any legal decisions.

In Trademark Law , , ,
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Why You Can’t Trademark a Descriptive Term – The “Hot Yoga” Example

May 13, 2014 — Leave a comment

We’ve mentioned previously that names and slogans may not be protected unless they are distinctive and capable of identifying a particular source of the good or service.

The reasoning behind this section of the Trademark Act is simple: if businesses were able to obtain exclusive rights to descriptive or generic terms, then competitors would be unable to describe their goods and services to the market. For instance, if a restaurateur obtained a trademark for “Restaurant” his competitors (the rest of the restaurant business) would be unable to call their restaurants by that name.

A great example found in the United States Patent and Trademark files is the Hot Yoga application.

The “Hot Yoga” Trademark Application

California based Bikram’s Yoga College of India attempted to register the phrase “Hot Yoga” in connection with education services for yoga. Of course, it is obvious that the phrase simply describes the service itself – that is, yoga in a hot room.

Not surprisingly, the USPTO issued an Office Action (an official document issued by the USPTO to explain problems with a trademark application) denying the application because it was descriptive. In quoting from case law, the trademark examiner said that a mark is merely descriptive “if it describes an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the relevant services.”

The examiner explained the reasoning above in the Office Action and concluded that descriptive marks may not be registered because “businesses and competitors [must] have the freedom to use common descriptive language when merely describing their own goods or services to the public in advertising and marketing materials.”

Arbitrary is Better

As a result of this limitation, many attorneys advise clients to be as arbitrary as possible when naming products and services. The more arbitrary and unconnected a phrase is from a particular good or service, the more likely the USPTO is to grant protection. One problem with this tactic, however, is that arbitrary marks are sometimes not very marketable because they do not describe the product or service and thus are more difficult to attract customers.

In practice, many business owners simply go somewhere in the middle and use a term that is partially arbitrary, but also partially descriptive. These trademarks suggest the good or service to the customer without being overly descriptive. Businesses then take their chances with a trademark application.

Secondary Meaning

One last tip: in some cases a company can obtain trademark protection for descriptive terms. For example, “Sharp” in connection to the sale of televisions. While that mark is descriptive of televisions, the name has obtained enough recognition in the market (a secondary meaning) to overcome the descriptive limitation. But we’ll cover this more in a future post.

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Image Credit: Thinkstock/Anna Berkut

*This article is very general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult with an attorney prior to making any legal decisions.

In Trademark Law , , , , ,
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