Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today; Brands, T-shirt makers line up to trademark coronavirus pandemic
"[Josh] Gerben [a Washington intellectual property attorney who’s been tracking daily filings] pointed out that trademark office examiners are perhaps the best equipped federal employees to keep working through the pandemic since most already telework. Trademarking is a lengthy process, he said, typically taking four months for an initial examination of an application and about eight months before a trademark is finalized.
Gerben pointed out that trademark office examiners are perhaps the best equipped federal employees to keep working through the pandemic since most already telework. Trademarking is a lengthy process, he said, typically taking four months for an initial examination of an application and about eight months before a trademark is finalized.
Examiners use simple tools such as Google to determine whether a phrase is unique. To receive the protections of exclusive national rights, a mark must be both distinct and already in commercial use by the filer. That means the dozen individuals applying for “I survived COVID-19” could be denied exclusive rights, especially if startups on Etsy or other do-it-yourself websites are selling items.
Trademark holders will have to consider the business ethics of profiting from a pandemic that’s killed thousands."
The Ebook version of my Bloomsbury book "Ethics, Information, and Technology" will be published on December 11, 2025 and the Hardback and Paperback versions will be available on January 8, 2026. The book includes chapters on IP, OM, AI, and other emerging technologies. Preorders are available via Amazon and this Bloomsbury webpage: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/ethics-information-and-technology-9781440856662/
Showing posts with label trademark examiners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trademark examiners. Show all posts
Friday, April 10, 2020
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