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© 2008, 2012 Anthony Vella, Esq.
Rock & Roll, M & Ms®, and . . . . .a Naked Cowboy® ?
A Tale of Trademark Infringement
What Did Mars, Inc Do?
Naked Cowboy Sues Mars, inc
MARS IS THE MAKER OF M&Ms
• http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/02/14/naked.cowboy/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
.
Naked Cowboy® Word Mark
Int. CI.: 41Prior U.S. Cis.: 100, 101, and 107 Reg. No. 2,560,456United States Patent and Trademark Office Registered Apr. 9, 2002
SERVICE MARKPRINCIPAL REGISTER
NAKED COWBOY
Naked Cowboy® Design Mark
Registered Sep. 2, 2003United States Patent and Trademark Office
Reg. No. 2,760,208Int. Cl.: 25Prior U.S. Cls.: 22 and 39
TRADEMARKPRINCIPAL REGISTER
Did Mars Do Something Wrong?
The Naked Cowboy Had Federal Trademark Registrations.
Was There a Likelihood of Confusion with these trademarks or other intellectual property rights?
Trademarks & Rights of Celebrity:Issues in Naked Cowboy Case
• Trademark Law
• Rights of Celebrity (aka Publicity)
A Person Cannot Have Their Image Used For Commercial Purposes without
“Compensation” and/or “Authorization”
What is a Trademark?
What Can Be A Trademark?
What Can Be A Trademark?
What Can Be a Trademark?
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/soundex/75934534.mp3
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/soundex/72349496.mp3
“Scent” Can Be a Trademark
Trademark – Strong Protection
Arbitrary/Fanciful
• “Xerox” for Copiers
• “Baby Ruth” for Candy Bars
• “Apple” for Computer
Trademark Protection
• Descriptive – Weak o Computerlando Oatnuts
• Generic – No Valueo painto milko Aspirin (once an arbitrary/strong
trademark)
© 2008 Anthony Vella, Esq.
Damages
An “opening bid” in a high stakes settlement game . . .
“What in the wide, wide world of sports is a-goin' on here?”
http://wilstar.com/midi/worldofsports.wav
Blazing Saddles – Mel Brooks’ Movie
• The Naked Cowboy wants millions!!!!!
© 2008 Anthony Vella, Esq.
Acts of Infringement
Did Mars, Inc. Infringe IP Rights?
.
Cease & Desist Letters
What to Do and What Not to Do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What Mars Did?
Is There a Naked Cowboy in Your Future?
Have you cleared the advertisement?
Has the trademark been cleared before using it?
Are there other IP rights that have not been considered?
Morale of The Tale . . . .
Follow Best Practices before a Naked Cowboy® comes
Knocking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_swaxOidGU
Update – Settlement Reached
• November 8, 2008 (AP) . . . The Naked Cowboy® and Mars, Inc reached a settlement (terms undisclosed) of suit filed February 11, 2008