-Wes Anderson, Attorney
Readers of the blog know the dangers of selling unlicensed apparel and the oft-litigious stance of Major League Baseball when it comes to defending its marks. But a recent viral t-shirt phenomenon may just be one time the MLB should call off the dogs — or the “BEISBOLCATS,” as it were.
The
—Aaron Keller, Managing Principal, Capsule
Unfortunately, the phrase “frat boy” or “fraternity” has been dealt another cultural blow by some less-than-impressive gents launching a ‘Fratagonia’ line of clothing. My hope is they are freshmen and just haven’t taken a semester of business law yet. But, likely there are other senior “should know better”
On a recent trip to the Washington, D.C. area, I had the opportunity to stay at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, and I’ll have to say, as a trademark type, it was difficult to avoid being drawn to their unique and engaging bath soap and packaging:
In my experience, most bath
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I refer you to “the Slants?” Is it a non-perpendicular or horizontal line? Is it the news coverage of MSNBC or Fox News? Is it a derogatory term for Asians? Or, perhaps its “the first all-Asian American dance rock band in the world” whose efforts to
—Aaron Keller, Managing Principal, Capsule
We appreciate brands with personality. From our studies of brands, there are way too many living in a pool of vanilla ice cream and wondering why their customers don’t engage. Brands need interesting, engaging personalities and they are most effective when coming to life within the experience.
The
I had the great fortune to attend the recent FUSE conference held in Chicago for design and branding professionals, and see Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock speak.
My friend on the left is Kitty Hart from Capsule, who blogged about FUSE in the post entitled “Day 3: A Morning of Design Heroes.” My
In the wake of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert leaving their respective shows on Comedy Central for newer pastures, John Oliver has emerged as a new beacon of political humor and satire. If you haven’t watched his show, and especially if you considered the former two as having an obvious political slant, you should check
As it turns out, four days after Easter, the USPTO refused registration of the Big Green Egg’s claimed exclusive rights in the shape and color of its popular barbecue smoker and grill:
As you will recall, we wrote about this product configuration trademark application, back in December of last year. Here are the challenges
Randall Hull, The Br@nd Ranch®
There is much to admire about Lance Armstrong. Really. Cancer survivor, founder of Livestrong, professional triathlete at age 16, successful professional cyclist, marathon runner. Yes, Lance was a very good athlete and road-racing cyclist long before he was diagnosed with cancer and after he returned to the sport prior to
As you may recall, last September we wrote about Coca-Cola’s Significant Interest in Zero Marks, discussing Coca-Cola’s defense of a trademark infringement suit brought by an individual named Mirza Baig, who claimed rights in “Naturally Zero” for Canadian natural spring water, and Coca-Cola’s contrasting attempts to own and federally-register various marks containing the term