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Re: descriptive names


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Posted by Stephen L. Anderson on July 24, 2002 at 19:12:03:

In Reply to: descriptive names posted by steve on July 23, 2002 at 05:28:33:

Depending on the type of goods or service, a trademark can run the gamut from GENERIC, (merely descriptive), suggestive, fanciful, arbitrary or coined.

WAX ON/WAX OFF
for a car wax might be viewed as suggestive if not merely descriptive.
Even if you were lucky enough to register the mark, it would be difficult to enforce against potential competitors who might use the phrase in their instructions or promotional materials.

NAIL ONS might be viewed as suggestive for press-on nails, but if used by one paticular trader for more than 5 years, and/or extensively promoted it could acquire some distinctiveness or public recognition which might lead to trademark protection.

Consider: IBM trademark for International Business Machines. My Toshiba laptop manufactured in Taiwan has traveled me with on business to Korea, Hong Kong and back to the US. I suppose I might now fairly describe it as an International Business Machine despite its original manufacturer.

Although, BMW has acquired a distinctive trademark: THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE, many would argue that the description could also be fairly used to describe just about any Ferrari, a Shelby Cobra or even the new Hummer II.

For more about descriptive and generic names, check out genericnamesonline.com.




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