Update: 25 February 2020 Since posting our earlier blog (see below) on the issues surrounding the trade mark application for SUSSEX ROYAL, Her Majesty The Queen has refused to let the Duke and Duchess of Sussex use the word 'Royal' to promote their brand. As a...
The decision in the highly anticipated trade mark case of Sky v Skykick was issued on 29 January 2020 by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which means that trade mark holders will not need to amend registrations with broad specifications. Key facts...
Last year saw Brazil, Canada and Malaysia join an international agreement, known as the Madrid System, that enables the easy and cost-effective registration of trade marks in multiple countries. There are now 122 countries signed up the system covering more than 80% of world trade. The...
Over the past few years gin has become the popular drink of choice. But coming up with a suitable name for a particular brand of gin has proven difficult for one company recently, who attempted to register ‘Vera Lynn’ as a trade mark for their...
When a recent trade mark application from Liverpool FC received a large number of threatened oppositions, they decided to withdraw the mark. Serjeants’ trade mark attorneys explain: [caption id="attachment_887" align="alignright" width="222"] By Source, Fair use, https://hif.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24784[/caption] On 20 June 2019 Liverpool FC filed for a trade mark...
Trade marks can become vulnerable to cancellation after five years if they are not used on all the goods and services applied for. To get around this, some brands re-file their marks to ensure they remain valid. Hasbro, owners of the well-known board game Monopoly,...
China has long been aware of the criticisms of its trade mark system made by overseas business and, over the last few years, has sought to address those criticisms through law reform. The latest reforms to be implemented came in April this year, apparently driven by...
In a recent, long-standing case involving fashion brand Zara, the retailer successfully blocked a travel company from registering a similar trade mark due to social media platforms ‘blurring’ the lines between products and services. Here, we explain the key facts of the case and the impact...
Upon reading the title of this blog you may be thinking how on earth is it possible for McDonalds to lose a trade mark for BIG MAC? It’s one of the most well-known fast food menu items in the world. The vast majority will know...
Leicester City Football Club triumphed recently when the trade mark experts at Serjeants successfully defended the club’s rights in their registered trade mark ‘LCFC’, preventing an application for a similar mark. An application was made by Leeds City Football Club Limited (Leeds City Ltd) to register...
