43(B)log

MAY 13, 2024

The Trademark and Unfair Competition Scholarship Roundtable co-hosted by Harvard, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania will take place this year at Harvard. We invite submissions from academics working on any aspect of trademark, false advertising, marketing, right of publicity, or related areas of the law.

False Advertising 75

False Advertising Trademark Advertising Advertising 75

43(B)log

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Although the court dismissed a contract claim, copyright and false advertising claims survived. And they allegedly copied golf courses created on Perfect Golf’s course design platform. Eventually, in 2023, the trademark owners of the St. Andrews and various PGA Tour courses.

False Advertising 52

False Advertising Contracts Advertising Advertising 52

43(B)log

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

It has trademark registrations for the word mark “NEO4J.” The parties previously partnered nonexclusively so that PureThink would sell and support the commercial version of Neo4j; upon termination, PureThink expressly agreed to “cease using any trademarks, service marks and other designations of Plaintiffs.”

False Advertising 64

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Licensing 64

SpicyIP

JANUARY 30, 2024

Is it about the exclusive right to use a trademark – “butter chicken” or the “look and feel” of a restaurant?; or false advertising – the defendant claims to be the ‘inventor of Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani’; or is there an actual ‘invention’ in question – owners of both restaurants call themselves ‘inventors’ of the dish?

False Advertising 116

False Advertising Social Media Inventor Advertising 116

43(B)log

JUNE 17, 2022

7, 2022) The court upheld a contempt finding based on an underlying false advertising claim. The district court found that these violations caused harm because they “were designed to create a false continuity between Italian VSL#3 and the De Simone Formulation so that VSL#3 could keep its prior customers and potentially poach new ones.”

False Advertising 64

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Litigation 64

43(B)log

MARCH 21, 2024

The Trademark and Unfair Competition Scholarship Roundtable co-hosted by Harvard, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania will take place this year at Harvard. We invite submissions from academics working on any aspect of trademark, false advertising, marketing, right of publicity, or related areas of the law.

False Advertising 64

False Advertising Trademark Advertising Advertising 64

43(B)log

MARCH 22, 2023

Trademark and Unfair Competition Scholarship Roundtable 2023 The Trademark and Unfair Competition Scholarship Roundtable co-hosted by Harvard, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania will take place in person hosted this year at NYU. The Roundtable will cover the travel and lodging expenses for invited authors.

Trademark 78

Trademark False Advertising Advertising Advertising 78

43(B)log

DECEMBER 18, 2023

15, 2023) Simpson sued its competitor MiTek for using Simpson part numbers for structural connectors/fasteners for use in the construction industry in its catalogs/other promotional material; the court here, after a nonjury trial before the magistrate judge, rather comprehensively rejects its false advertising, trademark, and copyright claims. (It

False Advertising 64

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Copyright 64

Technology & Marketing Law Blog

MARCH 13, 2022

LVSA sued Groupon for trademark infringement. Melwani sued Amazon for trademark infringement, dilution, and more. With respect to the trademark claim, the court says the Ninth Circuit’s Multi-Time Machine v. Google. * Competitive Keyword Advertising Still Isn’t Trademark Infringement, Unless….

Trademark 110

Trademark Advertising Advertising Settlement 110

43(B)log

JULY 24, 2023

Injury: Damages and disgorgement under the Lanham Act require injury (for false advertising, not trademark infringement, despite the same statutory language covering both; no, I am not going to stop pointing this out any time soon). And economic analysis is a valid means of proving an injury caused by false advertising.

False Advertising 92

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Marketing 92

43(B)log

MAY 8, 2023

The Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy will host this year’s Trademark and Unfair Competition Scholarship Roundtable. The Roundtable is designed to be a forum for the discussion of current trademark and right of publicity scholarship, covering a range of methodologies, topics, and perspectives.

Trademark 72

Trademark False Advertising Advertising Advertising 72

Technology & Marketing Law Blog

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

It claims to focus on “counterfeits” that could harm consumer “health and safety,” but those are both lies designed to make the bill seem narrower and more balanced than it actually is. Instead of protecting consumers, this bill gives trademark owners absolute control over online marketplaces by overturning Tiffany v.

Trademark 144

Trademark False Advertising Advertising Advertising 144

43(B)log

APRIL 17, 2023

Quincy sued BRYK “under multiple legal theories for making unauthorized sales of products branded with Quincy’s PREVAGEN trademark.” But the unauthorized sale of a genuine product does not violate trademark law. Even after default.

False Advertising 45

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Trademark 45

43(B)log

NOVEMBER 21, 2022

They try to articulate claims for trademark infringement, counterfeiting, false association, and false advertising. Thus, “[i]n context, the contested button is not false association or false advertising.” But there’s leave to amend!

False Advertising 72

False Advertising Fair Use Advertising Advertising 72

43(B)log

MAY 19, 2023

Roblox sued for copyright infringement, false advertising, trademark infringement, false association and false designation of origin, trade dress infringement, intentional interference with contractual relations, breach of contract, and false advertising and unfair competition under California law.

Copying 94

Copying False Advertising Social Media Advertising 94

IPilogue

JUNE 21, 2022

sued StockX LLC for trademark infringement, false designation of origin, trademark dilution, and related causes. This case has the potential to define the scope of trademark rights against unauthorized uses in the world of NFTs. Nike currently has multiple pending trademark applications for their NFTs.

Non-Fungible Tokens 116

Non-Fungible Tokens Ownership False Advertising Fair Use 116

Indiana Intellectual Property Law

JULY 16, 2021

Under the Agreement , ABI allegedly acquired assets and intellectual property including the trademark “DRAGMASTER®,” U.S. Trademark Registration No. ABI is further claiming Defendants’ actions constitute false designation of origin and false advertising in violation of 15 U.S.C.

False Advertising 52

False Advertising Trademark Intellectual Property Advertising 52

Indiana Intellectual Property Law

OCTOBER 27, 2023

also known as TerreMax ) for Trademark infringement under 15 U.S.C. 1114(1) , unfair competition , use of false designations of origin and false advertising under 15 U.S.C. Court documents show that Banjo has received a Trademark registration ( No.

False Advertising 52

False Advertising Trademark Advertising Advertising 52

43(B)log

OCTOBER 29, 2021

11, 2021) A rare bankruptcy/false advertising interaction. Of relevance here, Everlog argued that the false advertising damages were nondischargeable in bankruptcy. BTL argued that summary judgment was inappropriate because the district court didn’t consider whether the false advertising was “malicious.”

False Advertising 56

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Litigation 56

43(B)log

APRIL 15, 2024

GMP owns two federally registered trademarks: the “GOOD MEAT” standard character mark and the “GOOD MEAT BREAKDOWN” design mark. The court denies a preliminary injunction on the trademark claims based on lack of likely success on the merits, but declines to dismiss either infringement or false advertising claims.

False Advertising 64

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Marketing 64

43(B)log

FEBRUARY 4, 2022

False advertising: Plaintiffs didn’t allege that Nobelle altered the merchandise in any way; “instead, the false statement arises from implication, from the fact that Nobelle is selling products that are not theirs to sell and, in the case of ‘The Line’ items, products it does not have the authority to sell.”

False Advertising 64

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Design 64

43(B)log

OCTOBER 18, 2024

The operative claims were false designation of origin/false advertising in violation of the Lanham Act and coordinate state-law claims. Thus, plaintiff couldn’t show falsity for false designation of origin/false advertising. to manufacture fresh milk for the community. the origin. the origin.

False Advertising 59

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Design 59

43(B)log

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

The Toyota parts sold by Allen Interchange and Toyota bear the same part number, and according to Allen Interchange, are identical in design, function, and quality. Lanham Act false advertising: Allen alleged that Toyota’s statements that “[t]he purchase. 14, 2023) This is the trademark side of the case.

Marketing 59

Marketing Marketing False Advertising Advertising 59

43(B)log

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

3, 2021) The parties compete in the market for custom landscape design services. “[I]n Each webpage that contained one of McCleese’s photos also contained Natorp’s own trademark and copyright symbols at the top and bottom. Along with copyright claims, McCleese asserted Lanham Act false advertising claims.

Copying 64

Copying False Advertising Social Media Advertising 64

43(B)log

DECEMBER 23, 2021

12, 2021) After Lexmark , can a competitor bring a false association claim when the false association is with an unrelated third party? This court answers yes, though limits the effect of that by applying what looks like ordinary false advertising analysis. RectorSeal also sells a product known as the Metacaulk Box Guard.

False Advertising 59

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Designs 59

43(B)log

JULY 20, 2022

CC has a recent trademark registration for a design mark “consist[ing] of the stylized wording ‘COLOR COPPER.COM”, [with] a diamond shape between the wording ‘COLOR’ and ‘COPPER’ made up of four smaller diamonds, each diamond having a pattern inside of it,” COPPER.COM disclaimed. There’s no written agreement” will do it.]

False Advertising 72

False Advertising Ownership Registration Design 72

LexBlog IP

JANUARY 31, 2024

However, a work’s copyright expiration does not extinguish any trademark rights that the owner may maintain in that same work. But it is important to remember that any existing trademark protection in them subsists. Further, Disney still owns valid copyright and trademark rights in other, more modern versions of Mickey Mouse.

Public Domain 52

Public Domain Trademark Copyright False Advertising 52

43(B)log

JANUARY 27, 2023

Steeplechase has a copyright for the book, “Piano Book for Adult Beginners: Teach Yourself How to Play Famous Piano Songs, Read Music, Theory & Technique” and registered trademark rights in STEEPLECHASE ARTS & PRODUCTIONS for, among other things, music instruction books, including for the Piano Book. Was this literally false?

Derivative Work 75

Derivative Work False Advertising Advertising Advertising 75

Technology & Marketing Law Blog

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

While this may sound a little wacky, it makes sense that Section 230 was designed to ensure that Internet services only need to comply with a single national standard as much as possible. In this way, trademark claims typically avoid violating free speech by addressing misleading commercial speech.

Intellectual Property 144

Intellectual Property Trademark Marketing Marketing 144

43(B)log

JUNE 14, 2022

May 25, 2022) Alcon sued Lens.com for federal and state false advertising and trademark claims. Alcon alleged that Lens.com infringed its trademark rights (including rights inherited from Novartis AG) by doing so. Likewise, ® and TM symbols let “consumers and competitors know you’re claiming [a] trademark as yours.”

False Advertising 72

False Advertising Trademark Advertising Advertising 72

43(B)log

MARCH 21, 2022

Bimbo sells Grandma Sycamore’s Home-Maid Bread; it sued defendants, who include the baker who developed the Grandma Sycamore’s recipe, for trade secret misappropriation, trade dress infringement, and false advertising when it sold a comparable bread product, Grandma Emilie’s, with the tagline “Fresh.

False Advertising 72

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Design 72

Technology & Marketing Law Blog

AUGUST 17, 2021

Jim Adler runs a personal injury law firm that claims trademarks in JIM ADLER, THE HAMMER, TEXAS HAMMER, and EL MARTILLO TEJANO. It bids on the Adler trademarks for “click-to-call” keyword ads. The ads “are designed to display generic terms that consumers might associate with any personal injury firm.”

Advertising 105

Advertising Advertising Trademark Settlement 105

43(B)log

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

Scotts alleged rights in its red mark, black trade dress, black label, and yellow barrier design that were allegedly infringed by competitor SBM’s competing products. A product name is placed between the pentagon design and the information bars. At least the court is equally lenient with TM and false advertising?

False Advertising 52

False Advertising Copyright Advertising Advertising 52

43(B)log

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

8, 2023) Imprimis sued defendants, competitors in the compounding pharmacy industry, for false advertising, trademark and copyright infringement, and related claims. It alleged that defendants falsely advertised that they’re in compliance with Section 503A of the FDCA, governing compounding.

False Advertising 71

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Government 71

43(B)log

FEBRUARY 24, 2023

we could add harm back in to the TM test): defamation has these too; patent/false advertising interface requirement of knowing the claim was meritless. I think this is related to my point about asymmetric design against abuse: the fear is almost always of the imagined infringer, not the abusive TM claimant.]

Trademark 69

Trademark False Advertising Fair Use Branding 69

43(B)log

JANUARY 27, 2023

Stiles alleged that it sold knockoff razors instead, infringing her patents, violating trademark and antitrust law, and interfering with her economic interests. The remaining design patent claims also failed. The accused design’s grip was also contoured and textured, not angular and smooth.

False Advertising 59

False Advertising Design Patent Designs Design 59

43(B)log

AUGUST 26, 2022

24, 2022) This seems like a silly result to me, shifting the burden to comparative advertisers, but it's often much harder to get summary judgment in a trademark case than in comparable cases. the design Peninsula, like PennEngineering, makes floating fasteners with square-in-square designs.

False Advertising 59

False Advertising Advertising Advertising Trademark 59