News and information about brand protection

Smaller companies parodying elements of other famous brands can often find themselves in a difficult situation if the said brands decide to enforce their trademark rights. This is exactly what happened to Brighton refuse firm Lord of the Bins, which has received a cease and desist letter from lawyers of Middle-earth Enterprises, owners of the rights to the hugely popular The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) refused Donald Trump's application for a trademark for "Truth Social." This refusal is one of the many setbacks the former president's social media app and its parent company have faced in the past months, in addition to other branding issues that led to significant user decreases.

Trademark battle between FIFA and the PUMA regarding the upcoming soccer World Cup in Qatar led to cancelation of trademarks of both parties. This case highlights yet another gray area of trademark laws: the risky practice of registering sporting events as trademarks

What should new business owners do when they are faced with the harsh reality that almost every feasible company name has already been trademarked? Here are some ways modern companies modify their trademarks to make them more distinctive.

Football legend Lionel Messi has accomplished his goal of registering his surname as a trademark in the EU after a nine-year legal dispute. With more public figures like Messi taking control over their intellectual property rights we are once again reminded of the importance trademark ownership plays in personal branding.

Luxury car company Bentley Motors lost a legal dispute against a small family-run clothing business in Manchester. In front of us is another legal case that highlights the importance of trademark registration and the unbiased firmness of IP laws.

The victory of Michael Jordan in a dispute against Qiaodan Sports gives new hope to other international brands that wish to protect their IP rights in China.

Internationally well-known British street artist Banksy ended up losing control over six of his trademarks in just two years. This raises some interesting questions regarding the relationship between copyright and trademark law and the legality of graffiti art.

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The selection of relevant classes and specific items of goods and services represents a crucial step in the process of creating a trademark application. On the one hand, too narrowly defined goods and services limit the extent of protection required and may leave a brand vulnerable to copycats and infringement attempts. On the other hand, too broadly defined goods and services not only result in a higher cost (government fees increase with additional classes) but also increase the risk of oppositions and consequent unsuccessful trademark registration. This article presents a detailed guidance for entrepreneurs on how to select the ideal set of relevant classes of goods and services during the trademark application process.