Betty Boop’s Bubble Bursts
Betty Boop was created by Max Fleischer in 1930. Fleischer sold his rights in the Betty Boop cartoon and character to Paramount Pictures (Paramount) in 1941. In 2006, Fleischer's heirs…
“Girlfriends by Design” Goes Down (to Jail)
On February 15, 2011, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a press release stating that an ICE probe led to the arrest of the owner of a Bakersfield,…
Bad Debt Hurts Brand Image (or does it?)
Hollywood, Esq. (formerly THR, Esq., when or why the change, I'm unsure) reported today that George Clinton's "former law firm," Hendricks & Lewis, seeks to garnish the performer's wages to…
IP Heavyweights Weigh in on Brand Bullying
I have written about trademark bullying in relation to one of my client's experiences with Volkswagen and in general. I also blogged about this issue for a friend's blog, Smaller…
Aggressive Jeans
Recognize this? Levi Strauss & Co. (Levi's) bets you do, and I am inclined to agree. Levi's is very, very serious about its trademarks, including the LEVIS jeans tab: the…
How Trademarks are like Houses and Cars
My friend, Tim Greene, recently launched a company called Fizzlaw, whose mission is to connect small businesses with cost-effective lawyers who understand small businesses and align their goals with those…
No Animals Were Harmed . . . (only Trademarks)
The Kings Speech is a 2010 film about the story of King George VI of Britain that was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and 7 Golden Globes. Despite all the…
Super Bowl Clean Zones
Super Bowl XLV is this coming Sunday, February 6, 2011. If you want to know exactly how long from now that is, well there's a ticker on the top right…
Double Ug!! UGG 2010 Counterfeit results
Yesterday, I reported on the unfair competition and deceptive trade practices suit filed against Deckers by UGGLEBO for Deckers' use of the UGG trademark for clogs and footwear in the…
UG! Cries UGG, Sued for TM Infringement
As reported by my colleague and long-time blogger, Marty Schwimmer, a Minnesota company named UGGLEBO Clogs, LLC, filed suit last Thursday against Deckers Outdoor Corp. The suit alleges unfair competition…