Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's View of Parodies

By Susan A. Smith and Doyle S. Tuvesson
May 01, 2024

While most trademark-related lawyers are familiar with the "Bad Spaniels" and "Chewy Vuitton" federal court decisions on trademark parody, decisions by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) on trademark parody marks are rarely examined.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit determined that "Chewy Vuitton" dog toys effectively parodied the iconic "Louis Vuitton" luxury handbags. See, Louis Vuitton Malletier v. Haute Diggity Dog, 507 F.3d 252 (4th Cir. 2007). The court found no likelihood of confusion, emphasizing that "an effective parody will actually diminish the likelihood of confusion." Over a decade later, the U.S. Supreme Court stated that the First Amendment does not grant trademark parodies a safe harbor from infringement claims. See, Jack Daniel's Properties Inc. v. VIP Products LLC, 599 U.S. 140 (2023).

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

CLE Shouldn't Be the Only Mandatory Training for Attorneys Image

Each stage of an attorney's career offers opportunities for a curriculum that addresses both the individual's and the firm's need to drive success.

A defendant in a patent infringement suit may, during discovery and prior to a <i>Markman</i> hearing, compel the plaintiff to produce claim charts, claim constructions, and element-by-element infringement analyses.