A Recipe for Protection - A look at trademarks in the restaurant industry

There’s no denying that the restaurant business is a primary gateway to the workforce for many, with well over 1.2 million Canadians being employed through this $80 billion industry. While the quality of a restaurant’s food is integral to the restaurant’s financial success, the strategic use of intellectual property (IP), particularly trademarks, can give a […]

Nothing to Turn Your Nose up at: Playdoh and the dawn of scent trademarks

On Friday, May 19th, Hasbro announced that the characteristic scent of their well-known Play-Doh product has been officially recognized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a registered trademark of the brand. This presents a major step forward in the evolution of “scent trademarks”, with Hasbro being by far the largest corporation to […]

Signs and Sensibility: Accommodating Non Conventional Trade Marks

Dr. Dev Gangjee (London School of Economics) has a primary research interest in intellectual property, including trademarks, geographical indications and domain names.  He is also an IP Osgoode Research Affiliate. Can a building be a trade mark?  Should a building be a trade mark?1 In recent years, trade mark registries and courts have grappled with applications […]