In reading news of the passing of Fred Morrison, inventor of the Frisbee Normal 0 0 1 2 1 1 2 11.1287 0 0 0 ®, I was surprised to learn that the Frisbee wasn’t always called "Frisbee." Morrison sold his rights to Wham-O in 1957 ("sold" being used loosely — he apparently earned more… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: WHAM-O
Genericide Watch: Frisbee, Hula Hoop, Slip ‘N Slide, and Super Ball
Posted in GenericideWham-O, Inc. has had its share of hits over the years, achieving "household name" status (my opinion) with an impressive list of trademarked (I am not afraid to use it as a verb) products: FRISBEE for "toy flying saucers for toss games" HULA HOOP for "plastic toy hoops" SUPER BALL for "sport and toy balls" SLIP ‘N SLIDE for a "flexible plastic water slide"… Continue Reading
Just Verb It? Part III: Testing the “Slippery Slope” of Using Brands as Verbs
Posted in Advertising, Branding, Genericide, Loss of Rights, Marketing, TrademarksAlthough intellectual property lawyers of the Dr. No variety may not like to admit it – I submit that, not all slippery slopes are created equal. While some slippery slope cautions might prevent a few bumps and bruises in traveling along a particular path (e.g., the one on the left below), I suspect far fewer slippery slope… Continue Reading
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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...
Dan Kelly
You can call me a “non-traditional” attorney, which is a polite way of saying that I did not attend law school straight out of college. I spent five of my first six years after college as a junior high school teacher. The other year I worked as an engineer for a large corporation. More...
Sharon Armstrong
Voted most likely to become an actress while in pre-school, I don’t think I surprised anyone by becoming a lawyer, the steadiest professional gig open to those with a flair for the dramatic. 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...
Catlan McCurdy
Having long been told by my parents that I could do or be anything I wanted, I chose at the age of 10 to become an attorney, as it was the career that would most likely lead me to my goal of becoming the first woman POTUS.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...
Susan Perera
Born into the world with an aptitude for science and an affinity for art I found my career path quickly chosen for me. 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...
Laura Gutierrez
An attorney I am not. Though told to become one, I don't possess those qualities needed to be an effective one (I lack confrontation skills, and although I can write a great argumentative essay, I can’t argue outside a sheet of paper). More...