One of the things that makes IKEA furniture appealing to people is that, with a bit of ingenuity and some tools, the not-terribly-expensive furnishing can be “hacked” into something different and cool. And since 2006, IKEAhackers.net has been a repository for a number of these DIY tricks. After nearly a decade of existing without hassle from the plywood-loving Swedes, the site now has to get rid of all its advertising or give up the IKEAhackers URL. [More]
trademark infringement
Hershey Sues Edible Marijuana Maker Over Punny Product Names
By 6.9.14
We can’t imagine anyone with even the most basic grasp of the English language would confuse Hershey’s Almond Joy with “Ganja Joy,” an edible marijuana product. Nor do we think anyone will mistakenly buy a “Dabby Patty” thinking it’s a York peppermint patty. But we don’t work for the Hershey legal department, which has sued a Colorado company over punny pot product names that the chocolate goliath believes are too close to its trademarked brands. [More]
T-Mobile Wins Legal Battle Against AT&T Subsidiary Over The Color Magenta
By 2.10.14
Last summer, T-Mobile sued Aio Wireless, a prepaid service subsidiary of AT&T for trademark infringement for daring to use a color that is somewhat similar to T-Mobile’s well-known pink logos. An actual judge who gets paid to rule on such things has decided that Aio would have to stop using the similar color. [More]
Brewpub Shows Starbucks “The F Word” After Legal Demand To Stop Selling “Frappicino” Beer
By 12.31.13
Still stinging from yet another legal defeat against a small New Hampshire coffee company over the “Charbucks” brand, the Starbucks legal team appears to be going after lower-hanging fruit, sending a cease-and-desist letter to a small Missouri brewpub that dared to sell something called Frappicino beer. [More]
Starbucks Once Again Fails To Stop New Hampshire Company From Selling ‘Charbucks’ Coffee
By 11.15.13
It’s been a couple years since we last heard about the Starbucks v. Charbucks legal battle, pitting the Seattle coffee colossus against Black Bear Micro Roastery, a family-owned operation out of New Hampshire. At the time, a federal court had shot down Starbucks’ claim of trademark dilution, but that didn’t stop the company from appealing… only to lose in court again this week. [More]
Exxon Sues FXX To Protect Its Good Name From Being Associated With Basic Cable
By 10.3.13
There are plenty of reasons to poke fun at Twentieth Century Fox’s new, completely unnecessary FXX network, but it’s unfair to pick on a channel that only has a single decent show (which had to be imported from FX). That hasn’t stopped ExxonMobil from taking a break from profiteering and polluting to sue Fox and FXX for having the gall to make a seemingly obvious logo design choice when presented with two consecutive Xs. [More]
T-Mobile Sues AT&T Subsidiary Over Its Use Of Magenta
By 8.28.13
Chances are you probably don’t even know about AT&T’s Aio Wireless prepaid service, as it’s currently only available in a handful of markets. But the folks at T-Mobile have sued the subsidiary now before the world gets confused by two phone companies that use similar colors. [More]
Joan Jett Sues Hot Topic Over “Blackheart” Trademark
By 6.14.13
I don’t shop at Hot Topic because I’m not a teenage girl, but I’ve heard that the stores exist. But I am old enough to remember Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at the height of their fame in the early ’80s. But now two generations are colliding in a mess of tee shirts, push-up bras, and nail polish as the rock star’s record label sues the retailer over the Blackheart brand. [More]
Magic Hat Sues Kentucky Brewer Over Its Logo
By 5.22.13
Most of our stories about trademark disputes — especially when it comes to anything that even vaguely sounds like the word “monster” — involve companies in two completely different industries, like energy drinks vs. fish tanks, or that same beverage vs. an independent movie, or audio cables vs. deer licks. But what about when that trademark to-do is between two beer companies? [More]
Starbucks Asks Starbarks Dog Daycare To Please Change Its Name
By 10.10.12
Starbarks, a dog daycare facility in Illinois is feeling the legal heat from coffee colossus Starbucks, which doesn’t see much humor in the smaller business’s name or logo. [More]
Judge Gives Louis Vuitton Lesson In Film Comedy 101 In Dismissing ‘Hangover 2’ Lawsuit
By 6.19.12
The folks at monogram-loving handbag company Louis Vuitton are not famous for their sense of humor, especially when it comes to their oft-copied designs. And they certainly didn’t see what was so funny about a scene in Hangover 2 featuring a character carrying knock-off Louis Vuitton bags through the airport. Luckily, there’s a judge out there who understands comedy — and is willing to explain it, footnotes and all. [More]
Small New Hampshire Coffee Roaster Wins Legal Victory Over "Charbucks" Name
By 12.29.11
Since August of 1997, the folks at the Black Bear Mico Roastery in New Hampshire have been slinging pebbles at coffee colossus Starbucks over the smaller company’s “Charbucks” blend. And in spite of court rulings in favor of the little guy, Daddy Starbucks has continued to fight. But last week, a U.S. District Court in New York may have shut the door on the Seattle java slinger’s attempts to rid the world of Charbucks. [More]
Chick-Fil-A Threatens Legal Action Against T-Shirt Maker For Encouraging Eating Of Kale
By 11.28.11
If you’ve lived anywhere near a Chick-fil-A restaurant, you’re probably familiar with the billboards and other ads featuring cows and their hoof-painted signs encouraging you to “eat mor chikin,” a phrase that’s been trademarked by the fast food company. But heaven forbid you use those words in their correct formats to promote the eating of something other than Chick-fil-A. [More]
McDonald's In Legal Battle With Houston Mac & Cheese Restaurant Over The Word "Mac"
By 9.22.11
A Houston-area gourmet macaroni and cheese eatery is involved in a trademark battle with fast food behemoth Big Mac because it dared to use the word “mac” in the restaurant’s name. [More]
Florida Restaurant Sues Wendy's Over "You Can't Fake Fresh" Slogan
By 7.15.11
Many of the trademark infringement stories we cover involve mammoth corporations picking on smaller, unrelated businesses, but this one’s a bit different. A small chain of seafood restaurants in Florida has filed a $2 million lawsuit against Wendy’s over the use of the phrase “You can’t fake fresh.” [More]
Judge Allows Amazon To Keep Using Appstore Name For Now
By 7.7.11
The legal war between Apple and Amazon over the term “App Store” continues, but a judge has handed the most recent battle to the e-tailer, denying Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction against Amazon’s online Appstore. [More]
Judge: Apple's "App Store" Suit Against Amazon Will Probably Fail
By 6.24.11
It looks like Steve Jobs may have found his Waterloo in his war to defend Apple’s application to trademark the phrase “App Store.” A federal judge has advised the company that it will likely lose its lawsuit against Amazon.com over the e-tailer’s Appstore. [More]
Apple Slaps Open Source Start-Up With Cease & Desist Over "App Store"
By 6.22.11
Apple’s untiring defense of its application to trademark the phrase “App Store” continues. But this time, the Cupertino Crew isn’t squabbling with Microsoft or suing Amazon. No, Apple is going after a small start-up software company you may have never heard about. [More]
