Saunders + Silverstein LLP

Use of Color in Branding

Aaron Silverstein — Sat, 30 May 2009 13:08:36 +0000

This link has been on my “to blog” list for far too long. Steven Snell over at Smashing Magazine published this great article about the use of colors in corporate branding and design back in January. The piece is geared toward designers, but is also interesting from a trademark perspective. The four points at the end of the article are powerful points to keep in mind when thinking about trademark protection and good will.

Hot Logo Action

Aaron Silverstein — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:06:29 +0000

A great collection of airline logos. And now I’m regretting that I did not attend the INTA annual meeting finale at the Musuem of Flight. (HT @vidiot_)

Hasbro’s Hollywood Master Plan

Aaron Silverstein — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:30:06 +0000

Hasbro is agressively licensing it’s famous game brands for film adaptations. William Morris Agency brokered a six-year deal between Hasbro and Universal.

Hasbro properties currently in development at Universal include: Battleship; Ouija; Stretch Armstrong; Candy Land; Monopoly; and Clue.

“I think what were seeing in the world at large is the power of brands distinguishing themselves,” said Universal Pictures Chairman Marc Shmuger, who was previously the studio’s marketing capo. “As we’re gripped with fear and anxiety, we look for something we can rely on and trust. Look what just happened when we brought back the original cast of ‘Fast and Furious’ And so the value of brands has changed, and with the value of brands changing, what the owners of the brands want to accomplish changes too.”

ASMP Launches Blog

Aaron Silverstein — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:49:01 +0000

One of the premier professional organizations for photographers, the American Society of Media Photographers, has launched a new blog call Strictly Business. The ASMP is a great resource for photographers and others in working in creative fields. (via The Licensing Plate)

Seth Godin v. Twittersquatters

Aaron Silverstein — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:23:21 +0000

Seth Godin does not use Twitter, but he does occasionally have to stop the Twittersquatters. See also.

Brandchannel’s 2009 BrandJunkie Awards

Aaron Silverstein — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:13:40 +0000

Brandchannel has posted the results of its 2009 BrandJunkie Awards. Which brand made the best effort at being “green?” Telling result.

Tobacco product placement on network TV?

Aaron Silverstein — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:39:36 +0000

Were my eyes deceiving me, or did I really see American Spirit cigarettes featured in the premier of Kings on NBC last night? If I remember correctly, American Spirit cigarettes have this mark stamped on the side of each cigarette. During one of the battlefield scenes in last night’s two-hour premiere there was a close-up of a cigarette as one soldier grabbed it out of another soldier’s mouth. It appeared to have the same logo as American Spirit. Can anybody confirm? Interestingly, I did not see any other brands featured in the show.

PACER, Public Access, and a Boatload of Downloading

Aaron Silverstein — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:06:27 +0000

A very interesting post over at Compliance Matters on PACER, accessibility of federal court filings, and copyright. The post references a Times story from February 13 which reported that Aaron Schwartz, had downloaded over 19 million pages of court filings through a free PACER connection at a public library. Apparently, 19 million pages represents about 20% of the PACER database. That is whole lot of downloading!

Don’t Forget the Trademark License if You Intend to License a Trademark /Obvious

Aaron Silverstein — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:49:31 +0000

Another great post by Pamela Chestek. This one covering the case of the trademark license that never was.

Canada Rejects USPTO-like Fraud Standard

Aaron Silverstein — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:23:38 +0000

Canadian Trademark Blog reports that the Federal Court in Canada has ruled that Canadian law does not recognize a rule similar to the current U.S. trademark prosecution fraud standard. While the U.S. doctrine appeared “initially attractive”, Canadian law allows for an amendment “where the misstatement is innocent and in good faith”. (via Likelihood of Confusion)