[E-trademarks] To Color Claim or Not To Color Claim

Thu Nov 9 14:44:03 EST 2023

I’ve been involved in litigation(s) where you had competitors with (more or less) similar names, but very different trade dress & color schemes for their retail outlets, and that difference in color was a key factor in the likelihood of confusion argument.  As a defendant making that argument, having registrations for the logo which claimed color bolstered that position.

Those color-claimed registrations also help on the offensive side in helping deter other competitors in the same industry from adopting your color.

RMO

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From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of Montgomery, Alexander P. via E-trademarks
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2023 1:38 PM
To: e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com
Cc: Montgomery, Alexander P. <amontgomery at hinckleyallen.com>
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] To Color Claim or Not To Color Claim

I completely agree filing for the same design mark with and without a color claim is possible (and something I’ve done before).

But that still begs the question – what additional legal protection is the registrant getting by way of a registration with a color claim that they don’t already have by way of the registration without a color claim?

Alexander P. Montgomery <http://www.hinckleyallen.com/people/alexander-p-montgomery>
Partner
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From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com>> On Behalf Of Edward Timberlake via E-trademarks
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2023 1:21 PM
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Cc: Edward Timberlake <ed at timberlakelaw.com<mailto:ed at timberlakelaw.com>>
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] To Color Claim or Not To Color Claim

[EXTERNAL EMAIL]
Who says it has to be one or the other?

Why not both?

Sincerely,

Ed Timberlake
Board Certified Specialist in Trademark Law<https://www.nclawspecialists.gov/for-the-public/find-a-board-certified-specialist/results/detail/?id=29473>

Timberlake Law<http://timberlakelaw.com/>
Chapel Hill, NC

Schedule a call on Clarity<https://clarity.fm/edtimberlake>
ed at timberlakelaw.com<mailto:ed at timberlakelaw.com>
919.960.1950

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On Thu, Nov 9, 2023 at 1:18 PM Crane, Susan via E-trademarks <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>> wrote:
One reason is if the mark is going to be used on exterior signage.  It gives the brand owner greater leverage against local zoning boards that don’t want the colors used, etc.

Susan L. Crane
Group Vice President, Legal
Intellectual Property, Brands & Marketing

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
22 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
O (973) 753-6455
M (973) 879-3420
Susan.Crane at wyndham.com<mailto:Susan.Crane at wyndham.com>

From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com>> On Behalf Of Montgomery, Alexander P. via E-trademarks
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2023 12:56 PM
To: for trademark practitioners <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>>
Cc: Montgomery, Alexander P. <amontgomery at hinckleyallen.com<mailto:amontgomery at hinckleyallen.com>>
Subject: [E-trademarks] To Color Claim or Not To Color Claim

I’ve always wondered whether there is a compelling legal reason to make a color claim in an application to register a logo. Is there any benefit other than “your logo is a similar design and uses the same colors” (which is
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I’ve always wondered whether there is a compelling legal reason to make a color claim in an application to register a logo. Is there any benefit other than “your logo is a similar design and uses the same colors” (which is a valid argument even without a color claim)?

The flexibility of a registration without a color claim seems to far outweigh any benefits obtained by way of a registration with a color claim, but I am prepared to be educated by the collective knowledge of this group.

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