Brand elite indices hit three-year high; 2021 INTA president reveals future focus; covid-19 reshapes in-house practice; and much more
Everything we covered on WTR over the past seven days – and all you need to know from the world of trademarks to set yourself up for the start of another busy week.
Monday 14 December
Industry experts looked to the future of anti-counterfeiting efforts by discussing strategic and solution-oriented approaches to IP rights protection online. Read more
Senior brand professionals from the food and beverage industry explored the risks and opportunities facing companies in the sector. Read more
In an exclusive guest post, Allen & Overy’s Andrea Leonelli outlined everything you need to know about the evolution of EU design law, including the key findings of the European Commission’s latest report. Read more
Plus:
- General Court confirms that FOREX is descriptive (European Union)
- ‘Icy’ guidance on Polaroid factors: Second Circuit notes lack of direction regarding how much weight to give each factor (United States)
Tuesday 15 December
In our Tuesday news round-up, we looked at Reddit’s acquisition of Dubsmash, the US federal agencies recognising Alibaba’s IP efforts, a battle for the Arcadia and Debenhams brands, and much more. Read more
We presented unique insights on how the events of 2020 have shaped trademark practice at McDermott Will & Emery, including how the trademark team is handling economic uncertainty and continuing to engage with existing and potential clients. Read more
The latest findings of WTR’s exclusive research collaboration project with Scamadviser.com revealed a “strong upswing” in the number of fake products being bought offline. Read more
This week, the Finnish and Hong Kong IP offices made further clarifications with regard to deadlines and public services in response to the ongoing pandemic. Read more
Plus:
- Bunch O Balloons - has their RCD burst? (European Union)
- Jurisdiction in trademark cases: a matter of convenience, not of absolute discretion (India)
Wednesday 16 December
Five years after the law was changed to allow the registration of non-traditional marks, application numbers have dropped dramatically. In an extract from an upcoming feature, the Japan Patent Office's Kensaku Takase and Yuka Matsuzawa considered the future of such marks in the country. Read more
WTR sat down with Tiki Dare, who next month takes up the mantle of 2021 INTA president, for a wide-ranging discussion including priorities and task force focus. Read more
IP counsel at the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry and the Jelly Belly Candy Company revealed the impact that covid-19 has had on in-house workloads this year and the practices that are likely to continue long into the future. Read more
We caught up with local experts to discuss the effect that ongoing Australia-China trade disputes could have on rights holders. Read more
Plus:
- Costco v Simms: no more excuses for grey marketers that knowingly interfere with exclusive distribution agreements (Canada)
- Success for Monster Energy: General Court finds that EUIPO’s visual and conceptual comparison of ‘claw’ signs was vitiated by errors (European Union)
Thursday 17 December
Unique data revealed that the WTR Brand Elite indices performance hit a three-year high last month, with share values rebounding strongly. Read more
Local experts expressed concern that Chile’s existing legal structures may not be ready to handle international registrations after joining the Madrid Protocol. Read more
With Bentley Motors losing its latest appeal in a long-running dispute with Bentley Clothing, we spoke to the clothing company’s director, Chris Lees, who slammed the legal system for its “ruinously expensive legal costs” and failures in supporting small companies. Read more
Plus:
- General Court confirms likelihood of confusion between MARQ and MARK – but outcome could have been very different (European Union)
- Bad-faith registration and use was not Técnically demonstrated (International)
- Trademark registration in Somalia and Somaliland – what you need to know (International report: Africa)
- Strategic combined approach to trademark and domain name protections in Switzerland (International report: Switzerland)
- UK Intellectual Property Office limits address for service rules to United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Channel Islands (International report: United Kingdom)
Friday 18 December
In our end-of-the-week digest, new data identified China as a leading innovator in the alcoholic beverage industry, classic car brands made a comeback, the first Russian geographical indication reached registration, WIPO PROOF obtained ‘trust service provider’ certifications, and much more. Read more
We took a deep dive into Chinese litigation data to uncover all the latest statistics regarding infringement cases in the country. Read more
Shortly after winning the In-House Leader of the Year Award, Ali Buttars, head of the trademark team at Netflix, spoke to WTR about her role at the entertainment, content and production heavyweight, her approach to leadership and the need for greater inclusion of non-lawyers in the IP world. Read more
Plus:
- SPC’s provisions on evidence in IP civil litigation - overview and key points (China)
- General Court partially annuls Board of Appeal’s decision in 3D champagne trademark case (European Union)
Saturday 19 December
We trawled WTR’s unrivalled archive of trademark content to present a selection of articles focused on the development and marketing of law firm brands and offerings. Read more
If you have a spare couple of minutes, why not complete our short survey form to nominate the individuals or initiatives that are shaping the future of trademark and brand protection work, as part of our new WTR Innovators project. Read more