Alt Legal IP News – Issue #71
Hannah Samendinger | January 17, 2018
Check out our latest episode of Alt Trademarks. This episode features Josh Jarvis of Foley Hoag. We discuss his role at the firm and his appearance in the recent “Don’t Say Velcro” video.
More Music
– Jay Z is seeking multiple trademark registrations for Jaybo, an animated character based on a historically racist children’s book character. Check out one of the filings here.
– In an effort to avoid copyright infringement issues, Facebook has entered into several deals with major music publishers. Some artists can also enter direct licensing agreements with Facebook.
– Update: Last week we linked to a story about a lawsuit between Radiohead and Lana Del Rey. A rep from Radiohead then stated that no lawsuit has been filed.
– The popular song “Uptown Funk” is facing yet another copyright infringement lawsuit.
Battle It Out
– A copyright battle between Bratz and Barbie exposed a cultural battle over sex, gender roles, and the workplace.
– Check out this great read on the history behind a Klondike Bar trademark infringement battle that almost made it before the Supreme Court.
– The adult diaper community was recently divided over a trademark dispute after a manufacturer filed a trademark application for “ABDL.”
Milestones
– Chinese inventors increased the number of patents filed in the US by 28% from 2016 to 2017, making China one of the top 5 patent recipients.
– In 2018, TTAB turns 60. The Board issued 36 precedential rulings in 2017.
– These are the world’s 50 most innovative companies, or the companies that were granted the most patents. For the 25th year in a row, IBM held the top spot, receiving over 9,000 patents in 2017.
Odds and Ends
– Following a record year of trademark activity, the USPTO has pledged to hire a “substantial number” of examiners.
– A YouTube video titled “How to Avoid Copyright on YouTube” was uploaded in 2013 and is still sparking discussion among industry professionals today.
– A bipartisan bill called the CASE Act, which would streamline the process for hearing small copyright complaints, has been introduced in the House.
– Bootleg logos are now a fashion must-have.
– Walmart wants to use 3D renderings of fresh items to solve one of the biggest problems facing online grocery shoppers.