By way of follow-up to Tim’s and David’s recent discussions about Rio2016 and related U.S. Olympic Committee trademark enforcement issues, it appears that a local Minnesota carpet cleaning business called Zerorez, is poised to press the issue of the USOC’s overreaching trademark policies by asking the federal district court in Minnesota to confirm it
Pokemon GO or Pokemon No?
Unless you’ve been living under a Geodude this past month, you’ve no doubt been exposed (either willingly or unwillingly) to some part of the current social media/mobile gaming sensation, Pokemon GO. Niantic’s new “catch ’em all” treasure hunting mobile game is lighting up Charmander tails across the globe with approximately 75 million downloads and roughly
A $10 Billion Idea, without a Patent, is just an Idea
— Jessica Gutierrez Alm, Attorney
Have you ever seen an ad for something and thought to yourself, “Hey, I had that idea years ago!” Some people take that thought a step further. One Florida man claims to have invented the iPhone in 1992, and is suing Apple to the tune of over $10 billion.
Lights, Camera…Now Take Action
– Jason Sprenger – President, Game Changer Communications
Imagine for a moment you’re back in the year 1963…the time of Mad Men, the beginning of Beatlemania, the year of the “I Have a Dream” speech. Who’s the most trusted man in America? You might be surprised that it wasn’t Martin Luther King Jr., or even
A Missed Step in Branding Fitness Trackers?
I’ve been wearing one of these little guys on my wrist for almost a year now. Love it. The personal awareness it raises for me in the areas of sleep, diet, and activity, has been profound.
Can’t tell you how many times folks have asked, “Is that one of those fit bits?” “Nope,” I sometimes
Apple’s Quest for the “Ownable” Mark
-Wes Anderson, Attorney
No company’s branding strategy is studied more meticulously than Apple, Inc.’s — and of late, Apple has taken a turn for the descriptive with its various operating systems.
Every company wants its brands to be distinctive — and the arbitrary APPLE mark is among the most well-known. But its new operating system
Mine?
Recent developments have brought to the forefront the ongoing debate about what rights, if any, gamers should have or own in their online personas or in the contributions that they make to games through their gameplay contributions (i.e. is the participation by the player an act of “authorship”)?
On April 7, 2016, Mike Futter at
LARPing with Patent Trolls
— Jessica Gutierrez Alm, Attorney
Live Action Role Playing (LARP or LARPing) usually involves Renaissance Festival worthy costumes, foam medieval weapons, and an intense dedication to not breaking character. I can’t say I’ve ever had the privilege of participating in a LARP event, but I also can’t say I’d turn down the opportunity.
A different
Social Media and Jurors
Social media impacts every facet of life and is often discussed in DuetsBlog posts. Courts are now having to address social media issues in connection with jurors. A federal judge in California is considering banning the use of social media altogether in a copyright case before him brought by Oracle America, Inc. against Google, Inc.
Social Media as a Platform for Thought Leadership: Tips and Tricks from a Marketer
–Shayla Thiel Stern, Ph.D., Senior Digital Strategist, Fast Horse
When Steve Baird asked me to appear as part of an intellectual property law panel to discuss the use of social media as a vehicle for thought leadership, I have to admit that I was both intrigued and intimidated. After all, I know next to nothing about the law.
However, I’ve worked in digital media for 20 years and authored two books on the topic, so I know quite a bit about that. Truth is, I realized it didn’t matter what I knew about the law. My advice for a firm or individual who was thinking about launching social channels would be the same, regardless of their industry or occupation.
First, yes, if you want to draw attention to your leadership and expertise, social media is a fantastic way to connect to an audience and do so. You have to be thoughtful not only about what channels you use and what you say, but about what content you are driving your audience to visit. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind.
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