July 7, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, You might think leather purses and cosmetics have nothing to do with each other. But when the same trademark is used for both, the USPTO says: there’s a real chance of confusion. That’s exactly what happened in a recent case where Huella Studio LLC tried to register the mark HUELLA (which means “fingerprint” in Spanish) for high-end leather goods. But the mark was already registered by someone else—for cosmetics and nail products. Even though the products...

June 30, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, In May 2025, the Federal Circuit upheld the USPTO’s refusal to register the mark US SPACE FORCE—but not for the reason most people expect. The issue wasn’t likelihood of confusion. It was something else: false suggestion of a connection. This refusal falls under Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act, which bars registration of any mark that falsely suggests a link with: A person (living or dead) An institution A belief or A national symbol In this case, the...

June 23, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, A recent case before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) highlights a hard truth: you can lose a trademark dispute not because your argument is wrong—but because your paperwork is incomplete. In Superior Brands v. Retrobrands America, Superior tried to cancel a Supplemental Register trademark (KINNEY SHOES) based on a likelihood of confusion with their own intent-to-use application for a similar mark. Their argument? Their application was filed...