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June 16, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, Think your trademark is safe because another business with a similar name is far away? Think again. Recent cases confirm that geographical distance no longer guarantees protection from trademark infringement claims. With online commerce bridging physical gaps, consumers can easily be confusedâeven across great distances. Always do a thorough nationwide trademark search before you settle on a brand name. And remember, federal registration of your...
June 9, 2025 TMtelegram Can you trademark a phrase everyone uses? Hello Reader, In a recent decision, the USPTO rejected Tinderâs applications to register âSWIPE LEFTâ for its dating app and services. Why? Because âSWIPE LEFTâ was found to be: â Merely descriptive â It directly describes what users do in the app to reject a match.â Fails to function as a trademark â Itâs a common phrase that conveys a familiar idea: rejection. Tinder submitted two consumer surveys trying to show people...
June 2, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, Color trademarks can be powerful brand assetsâbut theyâre not easy to register. A recent case involving dark green medical gloves shows just how high the bar is. Green Gloves In In re PT Medisafe Technologies, the company tried to register the color Pantone 3285 C (dark green) for chloroprene medical examination gloves. They claimed it functioned as a trademark for their brand. The USPTO refused registration, and the Federal Circuit agreed, calling the...