5th Circ. decision in favor of “Krusty Krab” as a trademark provides a word of warning to craft brewers looking to pay homage to their favorite things.
What do the Daily Planet, the General Lee, Kryptonite, and Conan the Barbarian all...
Category: Trademark
Mexico’s Tequila board moves to stop Tequila-like marks – a good reminder that it’s agave if it’s not certified.
Back in February we reported that a years’ long struggle with Luxco ended favorably...
Bourbon upstart using name of legacy distillery as location defeats Sazerac’s claims: here’s how history can protect a descriptive use of another’s trademark.
You’re likely going to be involved in a trademark dispute at some point in...
What’s the difference between good parody and bad? – A defensible legal position.
The recent kerfuffle between Knee Deep Brewing Co., and Sony Pictures Television over Knee...
Descriptive Phrases Are For Everyone’s Use – Vanilla Java Porter Denied Trademark Registration
Some bad news for Atwater in its quest to trademark “Vanilla Java Porter” is...
Dissent In Texas Three-Tier Case Contains Powerful Indictment Of Strict Enforcement Of Cross-Tier Ownership
As you all probably have heard, in Cadena Commercial v. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission,...
Arguing With the Trademark Office Over Wine? – La Finca Wine Trademark Decision Provides Interesting Lessons Regarding Acceptable Source Material
The TTAB (Trademark Trial and Appeal Board) recently affirmed the decision from the USPTO...
Havana Club Dispute Back In The Spotlight After Congressional Reps Ask For Administration To Undo Predecessor’s Ruling
The latest turn in a decades long fight over control of the Havana Club...
This Spuds Not For You – Anheuser Gets Sued By Putative Owner of Spuds MacKenzie Claiming Anheuser Abandoned Spuds MacKenzie
You read that right. They created him, they used him, and now, they may...
Use a Foreign Word In Your Beverage Name? Better Make Sure It’s English Equivalent Isn’t Already Trademarked and Vice Versa
If a = b, then b = a. In math, it’s called the “symmetric...
Sazerac Sues Distiller Over Fireball Trade Dress – What Do You Think?
That picture pretty much sums up the gist of this complaint that Sazerac has...
The Public’s View of “Double Barreled” May Decide Trademark Dispute Between Bourbon Makers
A recent trademark decision shows how important consumer survey evidence has become in trademark litigation...
