Best of INTA 2023; WTR Industry Award winners revealed; and much more

Everything we covered on WTR over the past seven days – including daily content from this year’s INTA Annual Meeting in Singapore – and all you need to know from the world of trademarks to set yourself up for the start of another busy week.

INTA Annual Meeting 2023

All this week, WTR has been reporting live from Singapore to bring you the latest news, insights and observations from this year’s INTA Annual Meeting.

Here, we share the key messages from the opening ceremonies and Kathi Vidal’s keynote speech, some of the biggest talking points from the start, middle and end of the week, and our own unofficial ‘best bits’.

We also announce the winners of this year’s WTR Industry Awards. Congratulations again to everyone who made the shortlist!

Long Read

IP experts at Crowell & Moring outline everything fashion brands should know about entering the metaverse.

Monday 15 May

We reveal the football teams with the biggest trademark portfolios.

Plus:

• Sporting goods company successfully relies on prior Slovenian company name in invalidation action against EUTM registration (European Union)
• No SPARK here: TTAB refuses to register similar mark for real estate services (United States)

Tuesday 16 May

The Brazilian IP Office outlines new ways to cooperate with the USPTO, Switzerland issues a new procedure for destroying counterfeit goods, and more.

Plus:

• General Court: no likelihood of confusion between BIOLARK and BIOPLAK (European Union)
• New dispositions on regional exhaustion of rights apply to cases initiated under previous Trademark Law (Kosovo)

Wednesday 17 May

We find out how ASICS has used this year’s INTA Annual Meeting to spread the word about fake goods.

Plus:  

• Federal Court determines long-running KATIE PERRY v KATY PERRY dispute (Australia)
• MATCH.COM v MUZMATCH: websites’ date in court leaves a lot to be desired (United Kingdom)

Thursday 18 May

Change is afoot at the US Office of the IP Enforcement Coordinator.

Plus:

• CJEU clarifies rules governing joint ownership of national and EU trademarks (European Union)
• Dolce & Gabbana fails to block MS. DOLCE (Japan)
• Influencer dispute highlights need to regulate denigrating content featuring brands (Market Insight: India)
• Supreme Court disregards tradition of cumulative protection for trademarks in pharmaceutical case (Market Insight: Turkey)

Friday 19 May

Turkpatent launches a new app, London is named the world’s strongest city brand, and more.

We shine a spotlight on innovation at the IP Office of Singapore.

Plus:

• Zhejiang High Court provides clarification on trade name confusion (China)
• Sweet defeat for Lindt: appointed person dismisses appeal in TEDDY v TEDDYLICIOUS dispute (United Kingdom)

Anti-counterfeiting strategy playbook

WTR’s new “Anti-counterfeiting strategy playbook” sees brand experts, e-commerce platforms, law enforcement authorities and IP offices come together to reveal the systems in place to help IP owners combat the growing trade in fake goods.