{"id":406,"date":"2019-04-26T23:50:52","date_gmt":"2019-04-26T23:50:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/?p=406"},"modified":"2024-07-16T03:37:50","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T03:37:50","slug":"__trashed-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/__trashed-2\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tale of Two Donut Shops: \u201cDunking\u201d Into Trademark Troubles"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p><strong>IP Here, IP There\u2026IP Everywhere\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>IP is everywhere and affects everyone.\u00a0 This principle was reinforced when I took Intellectual Property Law with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luc.edu\/law\/faculty\/facultyandadministrationprofiles\/ho-cynthia.shtml\">Professor Ho<\/a> during the Fall 2018 semester.\u00a0 We regularly had examples in class regarding the many ways IP intersects with everyday life, even including a copyright infringement case involving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/USCOURTS-ca7-11-01708\/pdf\/USCOURTS-ca7-11-01708-0.pdf\">Kanye West<\/a>.\u00a0 There were more examples at the end of the semester when students presented real and\/or realistic applications of IP law.\u00a0 I especially enjoyed working on my final presentation with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jessica-fenton-1a060667\">Jessica Fenton<\/a> involving a local mom-and-pop donut shop called \u201cDunk Donuts.\u201d\u00a0 If you\u2019re thinking that sounds like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dunkindonuts.com\/en\">Dunkin\u2019 Donuts<\/a>, so were we\u2014and wondering whether this Oak Park donut shop might be liable to the national donut chain.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What\u2019s in a Name?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The first liability issue was whether Dunk Donuts infringed on Dunkin\u2019 Donuts\u2019 trademark in its name.\u00a0 A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/wex\/trademark\">trademark<\/a> can include brand names and logos so long as they are used in commerce to identify the source of goods and are distinctive.\u00a0 The brand \u201cDunkin\u2019 Donuts\u201d would seem to identify that the donuts come from that store, as opposed to other donut shops, like <a href=\"https:\/\/stansdonuts.com\/\">Stan\u2019s Donuts<\/a>, or even donuts from a non-specialty store, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jewelosco.com\/home.html\">Jewel-Osco<\/a>.\u00a0 But, is it distinctive?\u00a0 Basically, this means that the trademark distinguishes the good from others.\u00a0 Dunkin\u2019 Donuts signifies to consumers that its donuts are not made by others, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.krispykreme.com\/\">Krispy Kreme<\/a>.\u00a0 However, not all distinctive trademarks are the same.\u00a0 There are different categories of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.inta.org\/trademarkbasics\/factsheets\/pages\/trademarkstrengthfactsheet.aspx\">trademark distinctiveness<\/a>, with stronger ones getting more protection against unauthorized uses.\u00a0 The hierarchy of distinctive marks is as follows:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Fanciful or arbitrary (most protection)<\/li>\r\n<li>Suggestive<\/li>\r\n<li>Descriptive (least protection; only qualifies in some situations)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>For our project, we categorized the trademark \u201cDunkin\u2019 Donuts\u201d as suggestive.\u00a0 Suggestive marks <em>suggest<\/em> some particular characteristic of the good or service to which it applies.\u00a0 These marks require the customer\u2019s imagination to draw a conclusion to the nature of the good or service.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>You may be wondering why Dunkin\u2019 Donuts did not rise to either fanciful or arbitrary categorization.\u00a0 A fanciful trademark uses words or images that do not have any prior meaning.\u00a0 For instance, Xerox is a word without any existing meaning and is used by the company of the same name that sells printers, toners and cartridges.\u00a0 An arbitrary trademark is a word or image already existing that has nothing to do with the business that uses it.\u00a0 For example, Apple\u2019s products, like laptops or iPhones, have nothing to do with the fruit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>To Register or Not To Register (at the USPTO)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Importantly, Dunkin\u2019 Donuts is not just a valid trademark, but a federally registered one.\u00a0 What does that mean?\u00a0 If you have ever seen a \u201c\u00ae\u201d following a word, name, symbol, or device describing a good or service, that indicates it is a federally-registered trademark.\u00a0 Federal trademark registration is <em>not <\/em>mandatory.\u00a0 However, by registering your trademark with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uspto.gov\/\">United States Patent and Trademark Office<\/a> (USPTO), you obtain advantages over those who do not.\u00a0 In particular, although any trademark can be valid without registration, a federally registered trademark entitles you to a presumption of validity in litigation.\u00a0 In addition, you can possibly bar anyone in the entire U.S. from using the same mark if it would result in likelihood of confusion.\u00a0 That said, there is an important caveat that is important to our donut tale.\u00a0 Since trademarks exist based solely on use, the first user of a trademark cannot have violated a later-registered trademark.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Likelihood of Confusion<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Dunkin\u2019 Donuts would like to show that there would be a likelihood that consumers would be confused between its stores and Dunk Donuts. If the nationwide chain succeeds in showing such likelihood of confusion, Dunk Donuts has infringed Dunkin\u2019 Donuts\u2019 trademark.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\r\n<figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-409\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-26-at-5.55.43-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"343\" height=\"119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-26-at-5.55.43-PM.jpg 718w, https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-26-at-5.55.43-PM-300x104.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 343px) 100vw, 343px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>To assess <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tms.org\/pubs\/journals\/jom\/matters\/matters-0212.html\">likelihood of confusion<\/a> when analyzing potential trademark infringement, various factors can come into play, including the strength of the trademark and whether the goods are so related or similar to one another that customers could confuse the two.\u00a0 These factors would seem to spell disaster for Dunk Donuts.\u00a0 After all, the words \u201cDunk Donuts\u201d are only a few letters away from \u201cDunkin\u2019 Donuts.&#8221; Even more, take a close look at the Dunk Donuts photo.\u00a0 The \u201cDunk Donuts\u201d written in white font is quite similar to that of Dunkin\u2019 Donuts recognizable Comic Sans-like font.\u00a0 Now, you may be thinking, \u201cWell, I guess that\u2019s it for Dunk Donuts.\u201d\u00a0 Not so fast!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>First Come, First Trademark<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Dunkin\u2019 Donuts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uspto.gov\/trademarks-application-process\/filing-online\">registered its trademark<\/a> while Dunk Donuts did not.\u00a0 However, despite the similarities that might get Dunk Donuts in trouble, Dunk Donuts would not infringe.\u00a0 Why? This is because Dunk Donuts opened its Oak Park shop <em>before<\/em> the nationwide chain registered its trademark in 1960, and thus used the word\u00a0 \u201cDunk Donuts\u201d in commerce before the federally-registered \u201cDunkin\u2019 Donuts.\u201d\u00a0 So, first come, first trademark applies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>However, this does not mean that Dunk Donuts can freely open new donut shops nationwide, outside of its Oak Park location.\u00a0 Although it will not infringe on Dunkin\u2019 Donuts\u2019 federally-registered trademark in its local territory of Oak Park, it will likely infringe if it opens stores in areas outside of the local Oak Park community, due to the protection afforded to the national chain\u2019s trademark.\u00a0 Not to worry, because our Dunk Donuts\u2019 owners pride themselves in their mom-and-pop shop and don\u2019t desire to open in any other location but good ol\u2019 Oak Park!\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This is just one of several issues that we focused on in our presentation.\u00a0 But, hopefully this helps to show how trademarks exist in real life and why companies, including local mom-and-pop ones, should know about them.\u00a0 Although Dunk Donuts may not want to expand, for any other business that wants to reserve the right for expansion, this tale of two donut shops highlights why knowing about trademarks and seeking registration is important.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Images by Carrie Park. No Rights Reserved.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-4374\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/CP-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"255\" height=\"255\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/CP-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/CP-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/CP-90x90.jpg 90w, https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/CP.jpg 742w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 255px) 100vw, 255px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><em>Carrie Park<br \/>Associate Blogger<br \/>Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D. 2020<\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IP Here, IP There\u2026IP Everywhere\u00a0 \u00a0 IP is everywhere and affects everyone.\u00a0 This principle was reinforced when I took Intellectual Property Law with Professor Ho during the Fall 2018 semester.\u00a0 We regularly had examples in class regarding the many ways IP intersects with everyday life, even including a copyright infringement case involving Kanye West.\u00a0 There were more examples at the end of the semester when &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/__trashed-2\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">A Tale of Two Donut Shops: \u201cDunking\u201d Into Trademark Troubles<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":3547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,11],"tags":[138,184,322],"class_list":["post-406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fun-facts","category-trademarks","tag-intellectual-property","tag-loyola-university-chicago","tag-trademarks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=406"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4375,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406\/revisions\/4375"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ipbytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}