Lessons from a Naming Guru: How Savvy Naming and IP Work Together to Create a Winning Branding Strategy **Attorney Advertising**
I recently stumbled across this article on Vox.com that highlights the work of Rachel Bernard, who has served in roles such as the “Director of Naming” and “Vice President of Verbal Strategy” at major ad agencies. You can read more about what she does and how important her position is as it relates to branding […]
Everything You Need to Know about Trademarking a Sound **Attorney Advertising **
Is there a specific sound that unmistakably identifies your business or brand? You may be able to secure a trademark for it. A trademark is any word, name, symbol or device (or any combination thereof) that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others. So, sounds can absolutely become trademarks as long as they identify the source […]
You Can Now Trademark Whatever You Want Thanks to Supreme Court ‘FUCT’ Ruling ** Attorney Advertising**
Thanks to a controversial new ruling handed down by the United States Supreme Court, businesses and brands can now trademark pretty much whatever they want, including marks once considered “immoral” and “scandalous”, as a right of free speech. The ruling was issued following a lengthy court battle by designer Erik Brunetti, whose desired trademark ‘FUCT’ […]
The USPTO Says My Trademark is Confusingly Similar to Another. Now What? **Attorney Advertising **
One of the most common reasons that the United States Patent and Trademark Office will refuse an application for a trademark is that the mark in question is “confusingly similar” to a trademark that is already federally registered or to a pending application owned by another party under Section 2(d) Refusal – Likelihood of Confusion, […]
Punctuation Matters When Applying for a Trademark ** Attorney Advertising **
After being caught up in the college admissions scandal earlier this year, Olivia Jade Giannulli found herself making news for an unrelated blunder: her beauty trademarks were temporarily denied due to poor punctuation. Admittedly, the daughter of actress Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli did not file the trademark application on her own, but […]
Can I File for a Trademark if the Product or Service I Offer is Free? **Attorney Advertising **
Recently the following question about a podcaster was presented: “I want to trademark the name of my podcast, but I’m a little confused about my ability to do so. My podcast is free. I don’t have any advertisers and the content that I offer is accessed by my listeners at no charge. If I’m not […]
Is Trademarking the Legal Name of Your Company Necessary? **Attorney Advertising **
As your business forms and you choose a unique name that you plan to operate under, you may wonder if it’s necessary to trademark the actual legal name that you plan to use for your company. As with most things in intellectual property law, the answer is that it really depends on the situation. The […]
Trademark, Copyright, or Patent: Which Do I Need? **Attorney Advertising **
When it comes to protecting one’s intellectual property, there are a number of legal tools that a business owner or entrepreneur can use to safeguard their assets and prevent others from stealing their work. The terms trademark, copyright, and patent are often mistakenly used interchangeably, but it’s important to note that these are all very […]
Can I Save Time and Money by Registering My Trademark in My State Only? ** Attorney Advertising
Business owners or brands who wish to protect their trademarks have two options for doing so: they can register their marks with the federal government by filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), or they can register their trademark in the state in which they reside and do business. State registration of […]
Should I Apply for My Trademark in My Personal Name or The Name of My Corporate Entity? **Attorney Advertising**
When filling out an application for trademark protection with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), one of the very first questions the applicant will be asked for is the name of the owner of the mark in question. At first glance, this may seem like a simple question and you may be tempted […]
