Retail

Asahi’s recent success in obtaining a UK registration for the mark SNOW GLOBE despite opposition based on rights in SNOW.   Asahi Holdings UK Limited has successfully defended an opposition against its UK application for the mark SNOW GLOBE. At first glance, the decision may seem surprising to some, but it reinforces some fundamental and,… Read more »

In a disappointing end to the long running defence of its registrations for the colours blue and silver, Red Bull’s EU trade marks have finally been declared invalid. On 29 July 2019 the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) finally put an end to Red Bull’s five year battle to defend its EU… Read more »

Olympics Games organisers issue strict guidelines for Tokyo 2020 The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympics and Paralympic Games (TOC) have issued brand protection guidelines in relation to the 32nd Summer Olympic Games next year.  A link to the document is set out below and the key elements to avoid are set out in the… Read more »

Partner Ian Gill attends the 40th Anniversary of IACC’s spring conference   Partner and Trade Mark Attorney Ian Gill attended the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition’s( IACC) 2019 Annual Spring Conference, in Boston, MA,  in the days before INTA where more than 500 attendees from 50 countries gathered at the largest Spring Conference in the organisation’s history…. Read more »

Hiplok talk to Geoff Hussey about the importance of IP In this video client Hiplok talk to partner Geoff Hussey about how they design their products, and the importance of IP for small businesses. Hiplok design innovative security locks for cyclists. They also happen to be the designers of the world’s first wearable bike lock…. Read more »

Reporting on the Wearable Technology Show AA Thornton recently attended the Wearable Technology Show 2019 in London to explore the direction in which innovation is being driven in the wearables market. The event hosted an array of innovative start-ups, many of which were exhibiting ingenious technology derived from truly pioneering ideas. The technology on show… Read more »

The Importance of Intellectual Property Associate Attorney, Christopher Burnett, recently wrote an article ‘The Importance of Intellectual Property’ for East Anglia in Business Magazine, and the full magazine can be read  here.. Chris’s article identifies different IP rights, what they protect and how they are obtained in order to then commercialise them. Below is Chris’s… Read more »

Commenting on the EPO’s AI discussions Partner Mike Jennings attended the EPO’s AI conference on 30 May, commenting:  “The EPO deserves praise for investing in an excellent discussion with industry and members of the judiciary about the future for AI patenting. The 30 May 2018 conference was part of that discussion. The consultation provided a good… Read more »

“If your hair is done properly and you’re wearing good shoes, you can get away with anything.” – Iris Apfel Introduction Not according to the EUIPO in the recent decision in Opposition No. B002757717 of J. Choo Limited v Liangliang Ren, when the Opposition Division handed down a decision to reject the mark: for “Electric… Read more »

“It’s immoral!” – Pitfalls of failing to register your trademarks; increased risks in China. Background: For a number of reasons, it is generally recognised as best practice is to secure a trade mark registration for your brands. Despite your best endeavours, however, trade mark applications can be rejected on a range of different grounds, including… Read more »