strategy

Manufacturing in China? Simple, proactive steps that you can take to protect your brand.

Outsourcing manufacturing to China can be a good strategy for reducing overhead. This is particularly true for low profit margin products. Most of us are aware of the country’s reputation for flooding the market with knock off products. We typically associate knock offs with large, well known, international brands. A Chinese individual registered the name of teen idol Justin Bieber. Another took the name and logo of the popular computer game Angry Birds. The Facebook trademark has been registered for...

Read more about Manufacturing in China? Simple, proactive steps that you can take to protect your brand.

LegalZoom

As a trademark attorney, I’ve received my fair share of cries for help from business owners who filed applications through trademark filing services to reduce their startup costs. LegalZoom and Trademarkia are two well-known companies in the industry. They sound like a great deal. The companies charge a fraction of what an attorney would cost. However, these companies are not law firms and they do not provide legal advice. I recently exchanged emails with yet another victim. She is a...

Read more about LegalZoom

Pinterest’s Trademark Application Opposed in the European Union

A cautionary tale for US businesses that currently offer products or services in the European Union or intend to do so in the near future. In 2012, Pinterest, Inc. filed a trademark application in the European Union (a CTM application) for its trademark PINTEREST. Premium Interest filed an application for PINTEREST only 10 days earlier. Pinterest opposed Premium Interest’s application. Premium Interest opposed Pinterest’s application. Pinterest’s opposition against Premium Interest’s application was rejected. Pinterest has appealed this decision and action...

Read more about Pinterest’s Trademark Application Opposed in the European Union