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Trademark and Unfair Comp.

Trademark and Unfair Comp. Boston College Law School February 18, 2009 Genericism, Abandonment. Bayer v. United Drug 272 F. 505 (S.D.N.Y. 1921) (Hand,J.). Drug Names. Advil (ibuprofen) Zantac (ranitidine) Viagra (sildenafil) Prozac (fluoxetine). Generic Thermos Escalator Trampoline

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Trademark and Unfair Comp.

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  1. Trademark and Unfair Comp. Boston College Law School February 18, 2009 Genericism, Abandonment

  2. Bayer v. United Drug272 F. 505 (S.D.N.Y. 1921) (Hand,J.)

  3. Drug Names • Advil (ibuprofen) • Zantac (ranitidine) • Viagra (sildenafil) • Prozac (fluoxetine)

  4. Generic Thermos Escalator Trampoline Cellophane Nylon Yo-Yo Generic? Velcro Post-It Notes Band-Aid Plexiglas Kleenex Frisbee Realtor Other Marks

  5. Potential for Confusion Harm to Competition Policy Considerations High Secondary Meaning Unprotectible Protectible Low Generic Descriptive Suggestive Arbitrary Distinctiveness

  6. Policing Your Mark

  7. Thermos Survey E.g. “if you went into a store to ask for a vacuum-insulated container, what would you ask for?” Teflon Survey E.g. “is ‘TEFLON a brand name or the name of a type of product?” Surveys

  8. AOL v. AT&T243 F.3d 812 (4th Cir. 2001)

  9. Hypothetical • BEST OF BOSTON • Boston Magazine uses term for annual survey • Boston Phoenix wants to conduct similar survey and use term “Boston Phoenix’s Best of Boston List” • Survey: 75% of public associates BEST OF BOSTON w/ Boston Magazine

  10. 1-800-GENERIC • 1-800-Number Cases • 1-212-MATTRES v. 1-800-MATTRES • 1-800-HOLIDAY v. 1-800-H0(zero)LIDAY

  11. Abandonment • Lanham Act §45 (15 U.S.C. §1125): • Abandonment. A mark shall be deemed to be “abandoned” when either of the following occurs: • (1) When its use has been discontinued with intent not toresume such use. Intent not to reuse may be inferred from circumstances. Nonuse for three consecutive years shall be prima facie evidence of abandonment. . . . • (2) When any course of conduct of the owner, including acts of omission as well as commission, causes the mark to become the generic name for the goods … or otherwise to lose its significance as a mark.

  12. Abandonment • Types of abandonment • Non-Use • Assignment in Gross • Naked Licensing • Failure to Police

  13. Silverman v. CBS870 F.2d 40 (2d Cir. 1989)

  14. Trademark / Source Nexus Strong Weak None Generic (E.g. aspirin) Descriptive (E.g. ALL BRAN) Arbitrary (E.g. NIKE) Source (E.g. Bayer, Inc.) Source (E.g. Kellogg, Inc.) Source (E.g. Nike, Inc.)

  15. Trademark (Amos & Andy) Trademark (Amos & Andy) Trademark (Amos & Andy) Source (CBS, Inc.) Source (CBS, Inc.) Source (CBS, Inc.) Abandonment Nonuse

  16. Sports Teams

  17. Abandonment Assignment in Gross Trademark (HEARTLAND) Trademark (HEARTLAND) ? ? Source (Clark & Freeman Corp.) Source (Sears, Inc.)

  18. Abandonment Naked Licensing Trademark (DA VINCI) Trademark (DA VINCI) Licensee (Renaissance) ? Source (Barcamerica) Source (Barcamerica)

  19. Trademark (BADGER) Trademark (BADGER) Trademark (BADGER) Source (U.W.) Source (U.W.) Source (U.W.) Abandonment Failure to Police

  20. Administrative Details • Next Assignment • VI.A.1 & 2 – Likelihood of Confusion

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