Dumb Starbucks On Friday, February 7, an interesting coffee shop opened in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. Dumb Starbucks looked exactly like a regular Starbucks, but with the word “Dumb” cleverly (note the editorial use of sarcasm here) thrown around – the menu included “Dumb Iced Coffee,” “Dumb Caramel Frappucino,” you get the idea. After a weekend’s worth of highly caffeinated speculation (see, I can make dumb jokes, too), the proprietor revealed himself as Nathan Fielder, comedian and star of the Comedy Central show Nathan For You. So, can anyone just open their own “Dumb” version of a…
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Archives: Business Law
Candy Crush Trademark Saga
January 28, 2014
Candy Crush Trademark Saga There has been a lot of chatter in my little corner of the Internet lately regarding a United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) application for the mark CANDY in relation to the popular Candy Crush Saga series of mobile games. Some articles, like this one, have taken a, let’s say, over-the-top tone with respect to this issue. Let’s try to figure out what’s really going on.
Starbucks v. Craft Beer
January 14, 2014
Starbucks v. Craft Beer I’m always intrigued when the craft beer and trademark worlds collide. Starbucks has been accused of bullying a small craft brewery – did they do their research, or act too hastily?
Trademark Abandonment: When Has a Trademark Been Abandoned?
December 30, 2013
When Has a Trademark Been Abandoned? Once your competitor’s trademark has been abandoned, it should be free for you to use – in theory. But how do you know when a trademark has been abandoned? A recent case shows how tricky this issue can be.
