Trademark
Mattel Sues ChinaBarbie.com for Trademark Violation
Barbie doll manufacturer Mattel Inc. has sued adult performer China Barbie of ChinaBarbie.com for using its famous product's name on her website.
LoveHoney Accused of Trademark Violation by Procter & Gamble
Only sex toy manufacturer LoveHoney received a cease and desist letter from Procter & Gamble to remove a promotion for two vibrators that feature an Oral-B toothbrush in their campaigns.
Apple Threatens Trademark Suit Over 'iGasm' Ad
Apple Inc. is reportedly displeased with British sex toy retailer Ann Summers over its advertisements for the iGasm vibrator, whose campaign resembles that of Apple's iPod line.
Williams-Sonoma Sues FriendFinder, Others Alleging Trademark Infringement
In a move that could have wide-ranging effects for the online adult industry, Williams-Sonoma has filed suit in U.S. District Court, charging a slew of online adult entertainment companies with infringing on the company’s popular Pottery Barn trademark to drive traffic to various “pornographic” websites.
Playboy Sues to Protect Bunny Trademark in China
Adult entertainment company Playboy Enterprise is seeking justice in a Chinese court, according to a report in the state-run organization China Daily, which said the American firm has brought charges against three companies alleging infringement of the company’s internationally known bunny logo trademark.
EU Rejects Spam Trademark
The word “spam” will not be afforded trademark protection within the European Union, which rejected Hormel Foods’ bid to cordon off the intellectual property rights attached to the word synonymous with both unwanted email and a canned, processed meat.
Booble Receives Trademark Protection
Adult search engine and porn directory Booble.com has said its name, which once drew the ire of mainstream search engine Google, has received a trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.
USPTO Denies ‘Cum’ Trademark Status
The phrase “you cum like a girl” won’t be eligible for trademark protection, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which denied the request made by a Los Angeles-area comedian to register the slogan.
Domain Trademark Ruling Spells Out Jurisdiction
In an important jurisdictional decision of interest to webmasters, a federal appeals court has ruled that a foreign business that operates online and caters to American customers overseas can’t be sued in U.S. courts.
Trademark Basics: 2
In part one, we looked at the primary purpose of a trademark, along with some common examples. In this conclusion, we'll look at the benefits of trademarks and how to register them.
Trademark Basics: 1
Many adult entertainment entrepreneurs are unaware of the value and importance of creating and protecting trademarks and service marks to identify the products and services that they sell.
Suit: Google Expected Trademark Infringement Claims
Google has been hit by another infringement claim over infringing trademarks by selling them as keyword search links. But the latest suit reveals a little-known fact about Google — the search engine is in the business of infringing trademarks, as so noted in its IPO prospectus.
Google Loses Third French Trademark Suit
In another blow against Google’s AdWords program, a Paris court ruled on Friday that the search engine giant must pay 200,000 euros to Louis Vuitton for breach of trademark.
Ringo Starr Opposes Actress' Trademark
Attorneys allegedly representing former Beatle Ringo Starr have stepped up to oppose a trademark application filed by adult actress Elizabeth Starr in connection with her movie production company, according to documents obtained by XBiz Monday.
U.S. Justices Limit Some Trademark Claims
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday made it harder for companies to sue each other for using similar words in advertisements of trademarked marketing terms.
Ashley Evans Receives Trademark, Opens New Line of Niche Sites
Zaftig adult film star Ashley Evans announced today that she has officially been awarded a federal trademark for Pleasure Brokers and launched a series of niche websites using her corporation’s new name.
Nintendo Claims SuicideGirls Diluted Trademark
Goth girl-website SuicideGirls.com received an email from a law firm on Monday, claiming that a user’s profile was infringing on Nintendo trademarks by listing Metroid and Zelda as his favorite video games. The infringement came from the profile of a member named RuneLateralus.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Makes Cyber Leap
Often criticized for its outdated procedures and questionable oversight of the patent application process, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office made strides recently to move its system into the electronic age as part of its "21st Century Strategic Plan."
Web Trademark Suit Can Continue, Court Says
In a case of particular interest to the online webmaster community, a federal judge decided last week that an Internet trademark infringement claim can continue.
Listings Trademark Case Fingers Yahoo, Overture
A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court alleges that the top search engines are using a company’s trademark as search terms to drive Internet traffic to third-party advertisers. The suit against Google Inc. and Overture Services Inc. by insurer Geico this month claims that the search-engines are infringing on its trademark and diluting its value.