Velcro Fights Genericism Through Song

In an effort to save their brand from genericism, the team at Velcro recently launched a witty campaign urging people not to use the Velcro trademark as a noun or a verb. To view the video click here. A term becomes generic where it becomes the commonly used term for a good or service, for example, escalator (formerly known as …

Trademark Application Post-Filing Solicitations

Trademark application post-filing solicitations by private companies are very common and can result in an applicant unwittingly paying money to a non-USPTO entity. These private companies are not affiliated with the United States Patent and Trademark Office but their names tend to somewhat resemble the USPTO’s name.  A few examples of these solicitations include requests for fees for publication of …

Brexit and Your IP Rights

On June 23, 2016 Britain voted in favor of leaving the European Union. However, Britain’s exit from the European Union, coined as “Brexit,” will be no small feat. According to Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty the separation may not take effect for a few years while an exit agreement is being negotiated. Thus, the vote will have no immediate …

Benefits of a Registered Trademark

There are several benefits to obtaining Federal trademark registration. A Federally Registered trademark not only provides nationwide protection but can obtain incontestable status after five years of continuous use. Incontestable status provides conclusive evidence of validity, ownership and the exclusive right to use the mark with the registered goods. Some of the benefits of a registered trademark are listed below. …