trademark

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Astronomer Sues American Girl Over Doll

Lucianne Walkowicz argues similarities with Luciana Vega aren't coincidental

(Newser) - An astronomer in Chicago has sued the maker of American Girl dolls, alleging the Wisconsin company stole her likeness and name to create its astronaut doll. The federal trademark lawsuit filed in Madison this week by Lucianne Walkowicz asks American Girl and its parent company, Mattel, to stop selling the...

Brady's First Attempt Involves Wordplay

With his new team, quarterback wants to own 'Tompa Bay'

(Newser) - Tom Brady has lost before at the US Patent and Trademark Office —when he sought sole rights to "Tom Terrific" while with the New England Patriots—but you don't become a star athlete by giving up. Now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the quarterback wants to reserve...

Fox Wants to Trademark &quot;OK Boomer&#39;
Fox Wants
to Trademark
'OK, Boomer'
Nov 19, 2019 3:42 AM CST

Fox Wants to Trademark 'OK, Boomer'

Network wants to use it for reality, comedy, or game show

(Newser) - Some people consider it a trendy insult , other think it is an ageist slur —and Fox considers it a good name for a show. The network recently filed a trademark application for the term "OK, Boomer," a phrase used to mock baby boomers for being out of...

Kylie Jenner's New Trademark Attempt Raises Eyebrows

Billionaire sees a business opportunity in 'rise and shine'

(Newser) - Kylie Jenner is trying to trademark the phrase "rise and shine" after singing it to her daughter in a viral video clip. The nine-second clip —taken from a YouTube video in which Jenner offered a tour of the Kylie Cosmetics offices—has been viewed 15 million times in...

Elusive Street Artist Sells ... Coffee Mugs?

Banksy sells kitschy items in online store

(Newser) - Banksy is selling T-shirts, mugs, and pillows. You can read that again. Yes, the world's most famous street artist—whose disdain for commercial success is no secret—has opened an online store selling various tongue-in-cheek products decorated à la Banksy, ARTnews reports. Shoppers at Gross Domestic Product can peruse...

Ohio State University Loses Bid to Trademark 'The'

Patent office says it 'didn't function as a trademark'

(Newser) - Ohio State University has lost its bid to trademark the most common word in the English language. The United States Patent Office has turned down an application from Ohio State —which likes to be referred to as "The Ohio State University"—to trademark the word "the"...

Supreme Court Allows 'Immoral' Trademarks

It's a victory for founder of clothing company FUCT

(Newser) - FUCT wins. The clothing company can trademark its name, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, reports Reuters . Founder Erik Brunetti tried to do so back in 2011, but the trademark office turned him down under an old provision that blocked "scandalous" or "immoral" names. But in her majority opinion...

Stripes Don't Make for a Logo of Distinction, Court Decides

Adidas loses trademark case in Europe

(Newser) - The Adidas three-stripe logo is famous and many fans think it's cool, but it's just not distinctive enough to deserve trademark protection, an EU court ruled Wednesday. The decision upheld a ruling by the EU Intellectual Property Office, which had rejected Adidas' trademark application, saying the logo was...

He Drew a Smiley Face, Got $45. It&#39;s Now Worth Way, Way More
He Drew a Smiley Face, Got $45.
It's Now Worth Way, Way More
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Jun 16, 2019 7:33 AM CDT

He Drew a Smiley Face, Got $45. It's Now Worth Way, Way More

Inside the $500M-a-year business

(Newser) - There is such a thing as the Smiley Company, and as Zachary Crockett explains in a piece for the Hustle , it is just as yellow and icon-filled as you'd expect: "Smiley paintings line the walls. Smiley pillows adorn the couches. There are smiley backpacks, smiley t-shirts, smiley exercise...

Coffee Shop: Big Company Has 'Ridiculous' Claim on Word 'Cat'

Cat and Cloud Coffee is pushing back on Caterpillar's trademark infringement claim

(Newser) - The world of copyright and trademark infringement is a tricky one that often involves David vs. Goliath battles—a truth that a coffee shop in Santa Cruz, Calif., is finding out the hard way. KSBW reports that Cat and Cloud Coffee first received a cease-and-desist order last August from none...

Case of the Brand That Sounds Profane Heads to Supreme Court

Erik Brunetti has long tried to get a trademark for his Fuct streetwear

(Newser) - Nearly 30 years ago, Erik Brunetti, along with skateboarder Natas Kaupas, founded a streetwear company with a name that, depending on how it's said, could sound profane. They started Fuct with no major issues, save for the trademark they tried to get for the name—one that the Patent...

McDonald's Lost a Big Mac Trademark. BK Pounced

Burger King restaurants in Sweden are now selling 'Not Big Macs'

(Newser) - So you're a fast-food giant that loses a trademark for one of your most popular offerings—what's the worst that can happen? Your rival could decide to mercilessly troll you, for one. That's what's happening to McDonald's in the EU, where the chain recently lost...

China Gives Ivanka Trump 5 Trademarks
Ivanka Trump
Has 5 New
Trademarks
Jan 21, 2019 9:30 AM CST

Ivanka Trump Has 5 New Trademarks

In China, which is in trade negotiations with her father's administration

(Newser) - The Chinese government has granted Ivanka Trump's company preliminary approval for another five trademarks this month, reports the AP , as her father's administration pushes ahead on trade negotiations with China. Four trademarks, including child care centers, sunglasses, and wedding dresses, were approved on Sunday. A fifth, covering brokerage,...

Chicago Chain's Trademark of Hawaiian Words Sparks Uproar

'Aloha poke' is off-limits, company says

(Newser) - You can say "aloha." You can say "poke." But if you put the words together, you may end up with a cease and desist letter from Aloha Poke Co. Critics of the Chicago-based chain—which produces the traditional Hawaiian dish of seasoned raw fish over rice—...

Ivanka Still Racking Up the Chinese Trademarks

First daughter has been granted 13 in last 3 months; several more could follow

(Newser) - Ivanka Trump's brand continues to win foreign trademarks in China and the Philippines, adding to questions about conflicts of interest at the White House, the AP has found. On Sunday, China granted the first daughter's company final approval for its 13th trademark in the last three months. Over...

#CockyGate Has Romance Authors in a Tizzy

Battle rages over trademark on word 'cocky'

(Newser) - A strange fight is brewing in the world of romance novels over the word "cocky." Faleena Hopkins is the author of a 17-book series about the Cocker brothers, and all of those books have the word "cocky" in the title. Last month, Hopkins managed to trademark use...

Dr. Dre Loses Fight With Dr. Drai, an Actual Doctor

In trademark battle, gynecologist argued that no one was likely to confuse the two

(Newser) - In a case of Dre versus Drai, the US Patent and Trademark office has handed a win to ... Drai, thus ending a three-year dispute that pitted Dr. Dre (real name Andre Young) against Dr. Drai (real name Draion M. Burch). One, of course, is the rap mogul who discovered Snoop...

US Army Goes to War With Professional Hockey Team

It's upset over use of 'Golden Knights' by Las Vegas NHL team

(Newser) - The US Army has filed a challenge opposing the application of the NHL's newest franchise to register the trademark "Vegas Golden Knights," the AP reports. In a claim filed Wednesday with the US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the Army claims it will be damaged if the...

'That Should Be a Word That Any Canadian Can Use'

Inside the great Canadian doughnut war

(Newser) - And now for a very Canadian story about doughnuts, rodents, and an apology. BeaverTails has been selling oval-shaped doughnuts in eastern Canada for nearly 40 years. So when food blogger Julie Van Rosendaal posted a recipe for "Homemade Beaver Tails" last year, she made sure to give credit to...

Woof-Tang Clan Runs Into Predictable Legal Trouble

The RZA has sued a Brooklyn-based dog-walking company

(Newser) - Attention, all dog walkers: The Wu-Tang [trademark] ain't nothing to f*** with. The Guardian reports the RZA filed a lawsuit last Friday against the Woof-Tang Clan, a dog-walking company in Brooklyn. In his lawsuit, the Wu-Tang rapper and producer accuses the Woof-Tang Clan of violating his group's trademarks....

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