Maria Cohn and Morgen Bromell of the website Complex recently published a list of the 50 Most Iconic Brand Logos of All Time. While lists like these are released somewhat frequently, this one has a major distinguishing feature: it is the first to be published since I joined the DuetsBlog. Make a mental list of what you… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: trademarks
FDA Trademark Approval
Posted in Branding, FDA Approval–Susan Perera, Attorney One aspect of trademark law that we haven’t discussed here at DuetsBlog is FDA approval of trademarks for pharmaceuticals. While there are certainly many benefits to federal trademark protection (and we would recommend seeking federal registration as the best way to solidify the broadest rights in your mark) trademark owners can choose… Continue Reading
False Start? Riedell v. Adidas
Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, Law Suits, TrademarksLast month there was some press about a pair of trademark infringement lawsuits between Adidas (sorry marketing types, I just can’t do the lower case letter "a" in "adidas") and Riedell over the number of stripes appearing on their sports footwear products. You may recall, while we’re on the subject of stripes, that I previously… Continue Reading
The Wine Menagerie
Posted in Trademarks–Sharon Armstrong, Attorney Kingsley Amis, that lauded British humorist and man of letters, once said that “a German wine label is one of the things life’s too short for, a daunting testimony to that peculiar nation’s love of detail and organization.” Indeed, as a recent article in the Wall Street Journal points out, it wasn’t so… Continue Reading
Do Not Wear a White Cowboy Hat, Boots & Underwear
Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, Law SuitsMany visitors traveling to Times Square since 2002 have caught a glimpse of the Naked Cowboy®, a/k/a Robert Burck. He sings and officiates weddings (charging $499 and up). He even ran for the Mayor of New York at one point (although he ended up withdrawing from the race). For those of you who have not travelled… Continue Reading
My Goodness, More “My” Branding & Marks
Posted in Advertising, Domain NamesWhat are the odds, that in my attempt to capture a billboard ad, reinforcing Dan’s earlier point about the ubiquity of MY branding, I unintentionally document two in the very same photo? Just so you know, I’m heading out to buy a lottery ticket, and I’ve never bought one before.
IP Grammar . . . and Those Who Cringe About It
Posted in Mixed Bag of NutsLast September, in my blog post entitled "What Does Trademarked Mean to You?," I wrote: More than a few trademark types cringe when their clients or others say things like "let’s trademark it," "they didn’t trademark their logo," or "we don’t want to trademark this name," and, when they ask questions like "is it trademarked?"… Continue Reading
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
Posted in Almost Advice, TrademarksThe importance of logos in branding has been discussed in detail. Although words are generally thought of as the most dominant portion of a trademark because they are spoken by consumers, the logos themselves convey equally powerful and important messages. Which is why this element in the overall branding strategy should be cleared by trademark counsel prior… Continue Reading
Duets Blog Authors
Steve Baird
Just so you know, I'm all about brands and the law, both professionally and personally. I regularly annoy family and friends in retail stores by focusing on product labels—not to buy the product, but to read the fine print and ask, "Who owns these brands" and "Did they really register those marks?" More...
Brent Lorentz
Although I wish I could say my path to the law was the result of a lifelong dream or calling, it was more the result mere curiosity and an affinity for leather-bound books. More...
Tiffany Blofield
Although my initial career path was to be one of the Supremes (not the musically talented ones with platform shoes and sequins, but rather, the nine wearing sensible shoes and pressed black robes in DC), I will likely stay in Minnesota as I have never lived anywhere else. More...
Brad Walz
My law career started on the ice…as a defensive hockey player (we’re not talking professionally…and if I were, I probably wouldn’t have gotten into law). More...
Derek Allen
In hindsight, writing about creativity and the law may have always been in the cards for me. I began training for a career in litigation at an early age by finding ways to disagree with pretty much anyone about pretty much anything. In my longest-running “case,” I argued with my middle school math teacher, Mrs. Jabs, for the better part of four years over whether, even if I got the right answer, I had to show my work to get full credit. More...
Martha Engel
Although my interest in gadgetry and my aptitude for math eventually led me to become an engineer, my ad executive father and artistically gifted mother fostered an appreciation for the creative from a young age. More...
Anjali Shankar
When I was in elementary and middle school, I loved writing short stories. Creativity and imagination seem to come naturally to people when they are young. More...
Timothy Sitzmann
I have always considered myself to be a creative person. Full disclosure: I'm not claiming that I've created anything good, merely that I have created things that exist.More...