Trademark Squatting

Trademark squatting is a practice in trademark law where an individual or entity registers a trademark that is identical or similar to an established trademark, with the intention of profiting from the reputation and goodwill associated with the established trademark. This practice is often used in countries where trademark laws are weaker or less strictly enforced, and where companies may not have registered their trademarks.

Trademark squatting can be harmful to businesses and consumers. When a trademark squatter registers a trademark that is similar to an established trademark, it can lead to confusion among consumers and harm the reputation and goodwill of the established trademark. Additionally, trademark squatting can prevent legitimate businesses from using their own trademarks in certain countries or markets, and can result in costly and time-consuming legal battles to regain control of the trademark.

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From our blog

Trademark Registration: DIY vs Professional Service

Filing for trademark registration is something anybody can do with a single online application. Many business owners, however, decide to wait with trademark registration because the process can appear quite complicated at first sight. Applying without a legal representative can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Mistakes and errors are easy to make and can lead to weak trademark protection or the rejection of your trademark registration altogether.

Generic trademarks: the case of Booking.com

By definition, a trademark needs to display sufficient distinctiveness to identify the origin and ownership of the products and services. That means generic and descriptive words should be avoided at all costs. The landmark case in United States PTO v. Booking.com B.V, however, proves that a generic term combined with “.com” or another top-level domain can be registered as a trademark if there is sufficient evidence of consumer recognition.

Stories of our clients: ShyneDurags

“Our continual drive for excellence made us the best selling durag brand in the UK. Last year, we began trading on Amazon and found the marketplace to have a handful of rogue sellers who attempted to tarnish others’ brand reputation. This issue was quickly dealt with after trademark certifications were provided to Amazon.” Read the full story of Alvin Mills, the founder of ShyneDurags, who continues in his goal to create the #1 online destination for afro hair care.