How to Avoid 2 Big Mistakes with Fanciful Marks
What is a fanciful mark, and why do business owners like them? A fanciful mark is wording you made up to indicate the source of your...
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danaldickson
- Mar 20
- 3 min
Why is it dangerous to name your restaurant after your most popular dish?
Here are a few of the top reasons: (1) It’s harder to get your mark registered with the USPTO. (2) It’s harder to enforce your mark. (3)...
119 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Dec 13, 2022
- 6 min
Are trademarks football's MVP?
We’re deep into football season now, and I’m hoping to make you see the next game you watch a little differently. You’ve got trademarks...
54 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Jul 10, 2022
- 5 min
What is the THE?
Recently, The Ohio State University received a trademark registration for the word THE. Some clickbait articles misleadingly suggested...
74 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Mar 1, 2022
- 4 min
Can I register my name as a trademark?
Some of the world’s most recognizable brands are actually someone’s name: Christian Dior, Estée Lauder, Jack Daniel’s, John Deere, Kate...
102 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Jan 31, 2022
- 4 min
The multimillion dollar question: who owns your logo design?
I know, I know, this sounds like a trick question. But don’t take it for granted that you own all rights to your logo design. Sometimes...
136 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Dec 20, 2021
- 6 min
3 Questions You Should Ask a U.S. Trademark Attorney Before Hiring Them
People in search of trademark help are sometimes intimidated by their initial interactions with the trademark attorneys they might hire....
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danaldickson
- Dec 13, 2021
- 7 min
What Do Foreign Associates Need to Understand about the U.S. Trademark Modernization Act?
What is the Act, and why was it passed? The USPTO is on a mission to clean up its register. The Agency freely admits that in the recent...
130 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Nov 13, 2021
- 5 min
What if my mark is the name of a place?
One of the most common reasons for refusal of U.S. trademark applications is that the mark is geographically descriptive. This happens in...
165 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Oct 23, 2021
- 3 min
What is a phantom mark?
What better time than Halloween to talk about phantom marks? If you file for one, you’ll be living out your very own horror story. Here’s...
420 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Sep 27, 2021
- 8 min
What types of marks can restaurant owners protect?
Restauranteurs bring so much creativity to their work – not only to creating their signature dishes and drinks, but also to many other...
166 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Jul 24, 2021
- 4 min
Why is it so hard to register a trademark for use on a t-shirt?
Back when I reviewed trademark applications at the USPTO, I wrote many refusals of applications for wording or designs on t-shirts. There...
219 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Jul 6, 2021
- 4 min
Record-breaking backlog at the USPTO
The USPTO is struggling to deal with an unprecedented volume of trademark applications. The result is unpredictable wait times for...
104 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Jun 7, 2021
- 5 min
Can a book title be registered as a trademark?
I am often asked whether a book title can be registered as a trademark in the U.S. If we are talking about the title of a single creative...
175 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Apr 19, 2021
- 4 min
3 Key Factors That Impact USPTO Filing Fees for Trademark Applications
I often talk with people who are frustrated and confused after trying to figure out how much the USPTO charges for a trademark...
54 views1 comment
danaldickson
- Apr 1, 2021
- 4 min
Yes, it's about THOSE shoes.
This week, the only topic anyone wants to discuss with me is the Satan Shoes. Are Lil Nas X and MSCHF in the wrong, or is Nike a bully?...
66 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Mar 9, 2021
- 5 min
The Dangers of DIY Searches
A good trademark search means you at least know what might come out to bite you. A lot of DIY searches fail to find the marks that can...
72 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Mar 1, 2021
- 4 min
What’s the difference between approval and registration?
Understandably, when people hear that their trademark applications have been approved, they feel relief and joy. That is fully merited....
90 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Feb 22, 2021
- 5 min
What's the difference between TM, SM and ®?
It’s easy to understand why this is confusing for trademark users: all three symbols commonly appear beside word marks or logos. All...
358 views0 comments
danaldickson
- Feb 15, 2021
- 3 min
How long does a U.S. trademark registration last?
In theory, forever. Or at least as long as there’s U.S. law. Whenever I ask people who they think owns the oldest living trademark on the...
56 views0 comments
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