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Category Archives: Mixed Bag of Nuts

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A Question, a Funny and a Curiosity: Three Things Coming from a Trip to New York City

Posted in Advertising, Branding, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts

First, the curiosity, when you see a gaggle of characters and then notice they all have “tip purses” in some form with their respective costumes, beware. In a visit with a media company in Times Square (Viacom specifically) we had to pass a few of these characters who were looking to have their photo taken… Continue Reading

Are TV & Digital Mutually Exclusive? Not at All: Why Multi-Channel Marketing Makes Sense

Posted in Advertising, Branding, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Social Media, Social Networking, Technology, Television

- David Mitchel, Director of Marketing – Distribion, Inc. AdAge posted an article today featuring CBS CEO Les Moonves commenting why his network is a better fit for media buyers than digital media. One quote attributed to Moonves was: “If you need to reach a mass audience, you’re not going to get that online….We figured… Continue Reading

Farewell, Duets

Posted in Mixed Bag of Nuts

–Catlan McCurdy, Attorney Well, Duets, I have some bad news. I’m hitting the road. It wasn’t anything you did, seriously. It really is me, not you. I’m relocating to Washington DC, and while I may pop up as a guest blogger, this may be the last time we see each other officially. It’s been almost… Continue Reading

Oh Ketchup…I’m Just Not That Into You: Understanding the Value of Fluid Trademarks

Posted in Advertising, Branding, Famous Marks, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Non-Traditional Trademarks, Product Configurations, Product Packaging, Trademarks

- Jason Voiovich, Director of Corporate Marketing, Logic PD Don’t get me wrong.  My two children elevate their weekly Heinz intake regimen to near Olympian discipline.  But me?  I enjoy a good dollop with pound of fries at the Lion’s Tap, but I haven’t given America’s second-favorite red condiment a second thought since John Kerry… Continue Reading

Twitter Can Be a Brand Marketer’s Best Friend

Posted in Advertising, Branding, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Search Engines, Social Media, Social Networking, Technology

- Debbie Laskey, MBA If you’re a marketer, you probably spend a great deal of your day checking Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, and LinkedIn. Depending on your industry, you may also spend time on YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, and any number of other peripheral sites. But did you know that Twitter can be your best friend… Continue Reading

The Time Needed to Build a Strong Brand

Posted in Branding, Mixed Bag of Nuts

It’s been a little more than a week, and I still have the FUSE conference on my mind. One of the more entertaining speakers at FUSE was a futurist by the name of Magnus Lindkvist who talked about “The Attack of the Unexpected: Trendspotting, Brands and Possible Futures.” I can’t shake two impactful images from his… Continue Reading

Excellent FUSE Panel Discussion

Posted in Branding, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Trademarks

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the 2013 FUSE Design & Culture // Brand Strategy & Packaging Conference earlier this week in Chicago. Having the privilege of snapping the photo below – just prior to the Brand Differentiation Through Design panel discussion on Wednesday afternoon – made my day, thanks for asking Sue! Great insights and perspectives from… Continue Reading

Employee Wrongfully Terminated for Refusing to Engage in Criminal Copyright Infringement

Posted in Copyrights, Infringement, Law Suits, Mixed Bag of Nuts

Adam Young worked for an architecture firm, Nortex Foundation Designs Inc. in Fort Worth Texas as a drafter. He was hired in 2001 and designed foundation plans based on copyrighted architectural designs that Nortex provided to him. In 2010, Young received a plan being drafted for a homeowner that had a black stamp which stated… Continue Reading

When Will We Run Out of Words to Trademark?

Posted in Branding, Guest Bloggers, Infringement, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Trademark Bullying, Trademarks

-John Reinan, Senior Director, Media Relations, Fast Horse I’ve been thinking about trademark bullying, and I was all set to write a surprising piece standing up for the bullies. You know, the big companies that spend giant piles of money developing products and services, and then hiring marketing geniuses like me to name them, and… Continue Reading

The Names of MIT Media Lab: How to Describe an Innovation

Posted in Branding, Guest Bloggers, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Technology

- Anthony Shore, Operative Words There is nothing else quite like MIT Media Lab. Their mission to “invent a better future” has given us a better present. It’s Media Lab’s research and development that led to the Kindle and Nook, Rock Band and One Laptop Per Child. While their innovative projects receive and deserve recognition,… Continue Reading

Paying College Players

Posted in Mixed Bag of Nuts

As my diehard readers (maybe reader? Hi Mom! (Just kidding, I’m pretty sure even she doesn’t read these)) will remember, I blogged about pending litigation between former college athletes and the NCAA regarding whether players should be paid when the NCAA uses their likenesses in advertising, during television broadcasts, and in video games.  The players propose a 50/50 revenue split, while the NCAA (of course)… Continue Reading

The Most Important Shot in Trademark History

Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, Guest Bloggers, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Sight, Trademarks

- Draeke Weseman, Weseman Law Office, PLLC   Pantone 278: Carolina Blue What I do remember about that evening is that stores for dozens of miles around must have sold out of light blue paint, because nearly everyone had a stash, which was dumped indiscriminately over friends and strangers in a precursor to the Gatorade… Continue Reading

Changing Your Brand Name: A Game of Whack-a-Mole and You’re the Mole

Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts

- Dave Taylor, Owner, Taylor Brand Group One of the big decisions prospective parents face is the all-important choice of a first name for their child. It’s the name almost everyone will use to address the child throughout his or her life. The choice will reflect heavily on the parents based on how appropriate, respectful,… Continue Reading

I SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE: WILL LEADERS AND COMPANIES EVER LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES?

Posted in Guest Bloggers, Law Suits, Mixed Bag of Nuts

- James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA Tuesday, February 26, 2013 was a bright, cold, sunny day as I prepared to depart State College, Pennsylvania, the home of Penn State football, after participating the evening before in a really interesting and wide-ranging panel discussion; an exploration of the problems this University is facing, and… Continue Reading

Hey Brand, Shh!: Is De-Branding the Next Hip Design Trend?

Posted in Advertising, Branding, Famous Marks, Food, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Non-Traditional Trademarks, Patents, Product Configurations, Product Packaging, Trademarks

A couple months ago, Selfridges, a high-end department store based in London, launched a “No Noise” campaign.  The initiative seems rooted in the company’s history; its original store featured a “Silence Room” to allow shoppers an empty area to relax from the stimulating hustle & bustle of the retail experience.  From the site:  “As we… Continue Reading

Duey is Four Today!

Posted in Mixed Bag of Nuts

Now that we’re out of diapers and through the terrible twos, we’ve reached another milestone: Duey is four years old today. This birthday kind of snuck up on us, so no plans for drinks on us today, in fact we’re buried in snow, so the INTA Roundtable (on the topic of Trademark Enforcement) that we’re scheduled to host… Continue Reading

The Data Breach Lawsuit Powder Keg

Posted in Law Suits, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Technology

Most data breaches occur because companies fail to implement adequate safeguards to protect personal identifiable information, and data breaches are growing in scope and sophistication. A study by NetDiligence concluded that the average cost per breach is $3.7 million, which includes the litigation defense cost. However, not all data breaches result in identify theft, and… Continue Reading

Is Strange A Good Naming Strategy?

Posted in Branding, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Squirrelly Thoughts

- Mark Prus, Principal, NameFlash In 1967 The Doors wrote a song called “People Are Strange.” In the chorus, the lyrics include the phrase, “No one remembers your name when you’re strange.” It seems like some current fashion labels think that advice no longer applies. “If you are building a brand from scratch, you’re going… Continue Reading

Trademark Licensee’s Rights Remain Unsettled When Licensor Files Bankruptcy

Posted in Branding, Guest Bloggers, Law Suits, Loss of Rights, Mixed Bag of Nuts, Patents, Trademarks

- Chris Camardello, Bankruptcy Attorney Those who license the right to use another’s brand need to pay more attention to the resulting risks when the brand owner files bankruptcy, given the uncertainty resulting from some recent legal developments.  And those interested in purchasing brands in bankruptcy should sit up straight and pay special attention too…. Continue Reading