July 28, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, If your trademark application has ever been blocked by a strange, unfamiliar registration—one with a made-up name or suspicious “proof of use”—you may have run into a growing problem in the trademark world: specimen farms. The USPTO recently issued a public warning about these setups, and it’s something every business owner and brand builder should understand. Because if you’re doing things right—actually using your brand in commerce and building your...

July 21, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, You might not think of trademarks as a business growth tool, but companies like Target sure do. In fiscal year 2024, Target filed more trademark applications than any other company in the U.S.—a total of 525, according to the Star Tribune (read the article here). That’s not a typo. And it wasn’t about chasing trends—it was about protecting their 40+ private-label brands, including heavy-hitters like Cat & Jack (kidswear), Good & Gather (groceries), and...

July 14, 2025 TMtelegram Hello Reader, Most people know that trademarks protect your brand name, but did you know that famous trademarks get a higher level of protection under the law? Two recent cases show exactly how that works—and how powerful a famous trademark can be in court. Case #1: The IVY LEAGUE Stops “IV League Nurse Concierge” The Ivy League colleges (like Harvard and Yale) collectively own the trademark THE IVY LEAGUE, and they've used it for decades in connection with education,...