April 21, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, Here’s another real-world lesson from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) that highlights two common pitfalls brand owners face: 🔁 Choosing a name that’s too close to an existing mark🔁 Using a last name without understanding the trademark limits The case involved Wyse London, a fashion brand that applied to register its name for clothing and retail store services. But the USPTO refused registration on two separate grounds—and the TTAB agreed....

April 13, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, Gibson Guitars just won a big victory—and it’s a lesson in brand protection you don’t want to miss. After years of legal back-and-forth, a federal jury once again ruled in favor of Gibson in its trademark case against Dean Guitars (owned by Armadillo Enterprises). At stake? The rights to iconic guitar body shapes like the Flying V, Explorer, and SG. Here’s what the jury decided, straight from the court decision: 🎸 Yes – Dean infringed on Gibson’s...

April 7, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, You may have seen MUSH—the oat-based breakfast cups—on Costco shelves. My wife picked some up recently, and I thought it was a solid product. So I was surprised to learn the company behind it just lost their trademark battle at the USPTO. Mush Mush Foods, Inc. tried to register MUSH as a trademark for “ready-to-eat cereals” made with oats. But the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) ruled that “mush” is generic—meaning it's a common term for a type...