Features
On May 5 2015, World Trademark Review announced the winners of its ninth Industry Awards at an exclusive ceremony at the San Diego Natural History Museum
A US Supreme Court case has put tacking – protecting a later mark by asserting the priority date of an earlier similar mark – centre stage. Yet while the court clarified that tacking is a question of fact rather than law, it gave little guidance as to how this might affect trademark portfolios
The recent accession of 17 African countries to the Madrid Protocol has proved unexpectedly contentious and cast doubt on the enforceability of some international marks. We speak with the figures involved in the dispute and consider how brand owners can best protect their marks in the continent
As the dust begins to settle on the first round of applications for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), applicants are taking a long, hard look at what lessons can be learned – especially with regard to ‘.brand’ gTLDs and likely challenges in the second round
World Trademark Review brings you the news and reviews from the key sessions at the International Trademark Association’s annual meeting
The international tax regime for IP rights is shifting. Multinational companies should revisit their internal ownership and licensing structures to ensure that they meet guidance forthcoming from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Trademark experts from 12 jurisdictions outline the legal position on the use of third-party trademarks in advertising campaigns
The Supreme Court has held that issue preclusion may apply to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decisions. While the decision itself is relatively narrow, it could have a profound effect on how attorneys advise their clients
Although position marks are accepted by the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market, they tend to be refused by the General Court and the European Court of Justice. What strategies can rights holders use to ensure that their signs depart from the norm or customs of the sector?
Many brand owners regard counterfeiting as an irritant and one that is largely confined to fakes being sold in emerging economies. However, this eyewitness report gives some sense of the scale of the challenge facing brand owners around the world
News
Country correspondent
Romania is a first to file jurisdiction and brand owners are advised to act quickly – and strategically – to secure their rights
The issue of trademarks being registered in black and white and then used in colour has attracted much discussion in recent years – not least due to Specsavers International Healthcare Ltd v Asda Stores Ltd
Kangxin Partners PC
A number of strategies can be used to obtain trademark registrations in China smoothly and with a broad scope of protection
Businesses would be well advised to consider their registration strategies before changes to the Trademarks Act under Bill C-31 are implemented
Companies which focus solely on domestic filings may suffer severe consequences if their marks are stolen in countries where products are manufactured or shipped
In Italy, there is still much debate as to the nature, scope and validity of coexistence agreements
India is providing a better atmosphere and infrastructure for trademark prosecution, even though it faces significant challenges in this area
Strategies and considerations to bear in mind when filing for trademark protection in Mexico
Columns
Trademark-related quotes, opinions and observations from around the globe
The UK Supreme Court has confirmed that the tort of passing off depends on having customers in the UK territory. However, it leaves uncertainty around the ability of some online businesses to protect their brand in the United Kingdom
Trademark intelligence
Global filing strategies have undergone significant changes as companies become more sophisticated in their approaches to building strong intellectual asset portfolios
