[E-trademarks] Determining Whether Specimen Matches Drawing Based on Line Breaks

Wed Jan 31 13:37:42 EST 2024

We added a disclaimer along these lines to our search summaries about 18
months ago and it's turned out to be very helpful.

On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 9:22 AM Janet Satterthwaite via E-trademarks <
e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com> wrote:

> We are considering putting disclaimer language in our search reports that
> advises that while we think the mark is registrable, the USPTO is so
> capricious these days that we may get an off the wall refusal we would not
> have anticpated.
>
> It is getting that bad.
>
>
>
> *Janet F. Satterthwaite*|Partner/ Chair, Trademark Practice|Potomac Law
> Group, PLLC
>
> 1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 1025
>
> Washington, D.C. 20006
>
> 202-486-1578
> jsatterthwaite at potomaclaw.com|www.potomaclaw.com
>
>
> https://www.potomaclaw.com/professionals-janet-f-satterthwaite
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> *From:* E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> on behalf
> of Angelica Mcdonald via E-trademarks <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 31, 2024 12:10 PM
> *To:* For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek
> legal advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
> *Cc:* Angelica Mcdonald <anmcdonald1 at aol.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [E-trademarks] Determining Whether Specimen Matches
> Drawing Based on Line Breaks
>
>
> *WARNING:* External email, do not click on links or open attachments
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> Lori,
>
> Could you please share your response , of course, with redaction? I’m
> trying to figure out how I’m going to respond to the similar office action
> I have without saying really bad things to the examiner LOL
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jan 31, 2024, at 11:06 AM, Crane, Susan via E-trademarks <
> e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com> wrote:
>
> 
>
> That’s just ridiculous.
>
>
>
> *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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> *On Behalf
> Of *Lori Milvain via E-trademarks
> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 31, 2024 10:44 AM
> *To:* For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek
> legal advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
> *Cc:* Lori Milvain <LMilvain at lathamluna.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [E-trademarks] Determining Whether Specimen Matches
> Drawing Based on Line Breaks
>
>
>
> I too have been receiving more “specimen doesn’t match the drawing”
> refusals that don’t make sense. I just spoke to an examiner that insists
> that a specimen is being refused as follows: TRADEMARK – Learn More Today
> TRADEMARK is a framework
>
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> I too have been receiving more “specimen doesn’t match the drawing”
> refusals that don’t make sense.  I just spoke to an examiner that insists
> that a specimen is being refused as follows:
>
>
>
> TRADEMARK – Learn More Today
>
> TRADEMARK is a framework for …. (services are described here).  She says
> LEARN MORE TODAY is part of the mark.  What?
>
>
>
> I disagreed and she told me to put my arguments in writing, so I will,
> (but at further expense to the client, of course).
>
> Lori
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Lori T. Milvain, Esq.
>
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> *From:* E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> *On Behalf
> Of *Spencer Cross via E-trademarks
> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 30, 2024 7:14 PM
> *To:* Carl Oppedahl <E-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
> *Cc:* Spencer Cross <spencer at counselforcreators.com>
> *Subject:* [E-trademarks] Determining Whether Specimen Matches Drawing
> Based on Line Breaks
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> We recently received a "specimen does not match the drawing" refusal where
> we applied for the mark as a compound word mark:
>
>
>
> ALPHABETA
>
>
>
> But the specimen, which is a screen capture of a website, uses a logo
> design that shows the two words stacked:
>
>
>
> ALPHA
>
> BETA
>
>
>
> Everywhere else on the site the mark is used as a compound word on one
> line (e.g., in the copyright notice in the footer). Unfortunately, it's a
> relatively sparse site and none of those other uses are great options for a
> specimen.
>
>
>
> That refusal seems inappropriate to me. I can't imagine, for example, that
> a specimen depicting the vertically stacked red LEVI'S tag would be refused
> because it shows the mark as "L E V I ' S" or that a specimen for SUPERCELL
> showing their logo
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__urldefense.com_v3_-5F-5Fhttps-3A_linkprotect.cudasvc.com_url-3Fa-3Dhttps-2A3a-2A2f-2A2fsupercell.com-2A2fen-2A2ffor-2Dmedia-2A2f-26c-3DE-2C1-2CVS8krQvKC6phN-2DQy6Lkt9-5FPEiqGryz2Xfhz9U8tjv2-5FBKXsxaNRzulSLwwWkSZhzZ0Hm4GlfIK5jtqgfVTXPViIIZq1NcWf7z7-5Fcd2nWWzUWEiBFJp4RFQ-2C-2C-26typo-3D1-5F-5F-3BJSUlJSUl-21-21Nf401RNTQFE14GfWW3o-21mTY-5F8xtV8GRGFots8R7NB4tSppHvaiM7MmRF0aVqddqkJTmCYYzyFYcduwfsqBkev7ilZZ1vwT8FyL8Q-5F-2Df9d7-2DreK5pCvY-24&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=BD_ODyCnGyM4QYkJS4ogIYzIigAHSpBLLoEgzCd9OOE&m=WZn2v387IKGYVdwjbmuWlh61YdpSmA0-l-JFft3JKtzIrJ7E8d3htjTbCKfETv48&s=-yFLQ_wRz-VMwzVoDoaU2Omkgta16j69bcjGRbypnxo&e=>
> would be refused for showing the mark as "SUP ERC ELL".
>
>
>
> Before we talk to the client about revising their website, I'm curious if
> anyone knows of any authority addressing whether it's appropriate to
> conclude a standard character mark is two separate words based on its
> design expression? Unfortunately I wasn't able to find anything in TMEP or
> McCarthy or my other go-to secondary sources, all of which only address
> mismatches in punctuation. I assume in the end it will be easier to just
> ask the client to update the website, but I'd rather not capitulate because
> I don't think it's an appropriate refusal.
>
>
>
> Feel free to send responses off-list if you prefer.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Spencer
>
>
>
> --
>
> *SPENCER CROSS*
>
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