Louis Vitton Doesn't See the Humor

A hand bag company called My Other Bag (MOB) has been engaged in a long legal battle with Louis Vitton. The company claimed that MOB's canvas tote bags depicting images of Louis Vitton bags was an infringing use of their copyrights and trademarks and was diluting their brands. The District Court for the Southern District of New York held that such use amounted to parody and was an acceptable use. The Second Circuit affirmed and the Supreme Court rejected Louis Vitton's appeal.

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Amazon Attempts to Trademark Blue Rings

In July 2016, Amazon submitted an application to trademark the blue rings that encircle the top of their Echo product.  This type of trademark has been granted in the past and will turn on whether the general public associates these cyan rings with the voice-controlled speaker. 

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Use Caution When Threatening an IP Action in the U.K.

"Threatening" a potential infringer for acts performed in the UK will now be governed by a new Intellectual Property Unjustified Threats Act. The act took effect on October 1, 2017 and outlines "permitted communications" between potential adversaries in patent, trademark and designs.  It should be noted that the act will not apply to copyright infringements, assertions of passing off or trade secret actions. 

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