It could be a scene from almost any of the Mission Impossible movies. The man--wearing all black, of course--plummets down the air shaft until his harness stops him mere inches from the floor. In a flash, he's typing away on a nearby computer terminal. After a tense...
Month: January 2018
Court says colorful language not a bar to trademark registration
A couple of federal court decisions - one of them from the highest court in the land - may well be prompting some to wonder where the line is now when it comes to what can and cannot be federally registered as a trademark.First, there was the decision last June when...
Could the mark ‘Drive Wise’ collide with another ‘DriveWise’ mark?
Allstate first began using its registered trademark "DriveWise" in December 2010 and has used it continuously since then. Kia Motors Corporation filed its first trademark application in 2016 for the phrase "Drive Wise" as a stylized design mark.Allstate sued Kia for...
‘Grumpy Cat’ owners sue for violation of coffee licensing deal
"She's not going to be passed around," said the federal judge before "Grumpy Cat" was brought into the California courtroom. She sat in a cat carrier as she awaited her owner's testimony in a licensing violation case. She is not expected to testify.Grumpy Cat (real...
Should I use a digital watermark on my work?
Are you analog or are you digital? These days, it's easy to find individuals in one or the other camp. Some dwell in both worlds. If you are someone who does design work, you want to protect your work from theft, misuse or use without your permission.Finding the best...
Trademark vs. copyright: What is the difference?
When it comes to protecting creative work, it's important for artists from all mediums to know what tools are at their disposal.Many people confuse copyright and trademark, and they both have their place in creative work. It's important to know the difference and...
The line between parody and copyright infringement
You probably know that you're not allowed to use a copyrighted song in your Youtube video. Such an action would be a violation of intellectual property protections. But why do roasts of popular songs on SNL get away with using other people's creative works? Today...