Geographical Indicators are terms used to define names that are affixed to predominantly agricultural products (although GIs are also used for other products such as crafts and jewellery, this kind…
Category: Trademarks
The Battle over the Rights to “Zombies in a Mall”
When asked to think about the pop-culture zombie genre, classics such as George A. Romero’s 1979 film “Dawn of the Dead” (and its 2004 remake) and Peter Jackson’s 1992 creation…
All Mixed Up: Scrabulous and the Realpolitik of IP
In 2005, two brothers in Kolkata, India launched Scrabulous, an online implementation of the board game Scrabble. With a few thousand regular players, it wasn’t about to replace World of…
Europeans Crush “California Champagne”
Its not often that a small country like Belgium would have the bravado to take on the world’s superpower. But earlier this year David literally crushed Goliath in a geographical…
Olympic Mark Protection Overkill: One Step Removed From Official Mark Protection and Two Steps Removed From Standard Trademark Protection
In response to a request from the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for additional trademark legislation related specifically to the Olympic and Paralympic 2010 Winter Games, the Canadian government proposed Bill…
Hilton v. Hallmark: What Would Happen in Canada?
Paris Hilton has filed a federal lawsuit over a U.S. $2.49 Hallmark greeting card that uses a photograph of the heiress and her trademarked phrase “That’s Hot.” Ms. Hilton is…