A couple of years ago, our friend John Welch over at the TTABlog reported about a white color trademark that had acquired distinctiveness, according to a rare precedential TTAB decision:
No, that’s not a roll of toilet paper, it’s a preformed gunpowder charge for use in muzzleloading rifles. And the applied-for mark was described as “the color white applied to gunpowder.”
The application was filed almost five years ago. And after multiple responses over the years to various USPTO refusals, in 2015 the Applicant appealed the lack of acquired distinctiveness.
And, as John reported, the TTAB reversed the lack of distinctiveness refusal, instead being persuaded that Applicant’s look-for advertising and other evidence established distinctiveness:
But, that’s not the end of the story. Turns out there is a relevant utility patent, called White Propellant Compositions, which led to the filing of a weighty 50-page Notice of Opposition.
It spells out in dramatic detail the functionality of the color white for the gunpowder charges, among other grounds for registration refusal, and judgment has been entered against Applicant.
In case you’re wondering, yes, we were privileged to light the match on this one. Word to the wise, never forget the timeless ticking time bomb of functionality. It kills trademarks in its tracks.
Kaboom, but judge for yourself whether the claimed mark is looking more like toilet paper now.