Originally Posted July 19, 2021 Updated December 22, 2022 Ohio State University recently registered the word “THE” as its trademark. Ohio State has registered the word “the” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Everyone I have talked to about this has the same reaction. Can you register a common word? Of course, you […]
The most important step to strong trademark protection Your trademark is likely your most valuable Intellectual Property Asset. If you chose a strong trademark, it will grow in value as your business reputation grows. A trademark is actually a form of protection for your business reputation. It’s what consumers use to identify you. It is […]
Originally Posted December 21, 2021 Updated December 8, 2022 Your trademark may be your most valuable asset and should be protected. The best way to protect your mark is to register it. You can register a mark with the United States Trademark Office, state trademark offices, and in other countries. The best approach depends […]
by Intellectual Property Attorney Bill Honaker, the IP Guy Intellectual property (IP) – intangible creations such as inventions, ideas and processes – covers some of the most valuable aspects of a business, yet many treat it as an afterthought. While IP law can be complex, confusing and overwhelming, it’s important to have an understanding of […]
Trademarks identify goods or services coming from a single source and can include business or product names, logos or slogans. Some examples of trademarks are the name Nike, the Coca-Cola bottle shape and the sound of the light saber from “Star Wars.” In the United States, common law trademark protection is limited to the geographic area […]
Originally Posted March 16, 2022 Updated November 14, 2022 Depends on who took it. The person who pressed the button on the camera when they took the picture automatically owns the copyright on that picture. If it’s a selfie, you’re safe. If not, you’re infringing the photographer’s copyright. Many celebrities are learning this the hard […]
Which Do I Choose? They’re both valuable to business Trademarks Trademarks protect the reputation of a business. They also identify the source of goods for consumers. Intellectual property law can be confusing. The USPTO website defines a trademark as “a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of […]
A 40-year-old horror story comes to life by Intellectual Property Attorney Bill Honaker, the IP Guy Who’d believe that IP Law would have its own scary story? And just before Halloween! Victor Miller wrote the story for the horror movie Friday the 13th. The movie was a landmark success and resulted in numerous sequels. […]
by Intellectual Property Attorney Bill Honaker, the IP Guy Originally Posted June 9, 2021, Updated October 20, 2022 Are you using images on your website that you clipped from the Internet? Do you know for sure? Did you leave these decisions to your webmaster? Are you certain you have the rights to use these images? […]
The Curious Case of Russian Doll Copyright as a Defense The recent case of Carlos Vila v. Deadly Doll is an amazing example of Russian Doll Copyright Infringement that involves a fictitious Deadly Doll and an actual Russian “doll”, Irina Shayk, a Russian model. It also involves the use of Russian Doll Copyright infringement as […]
