Gerben IP’s Trademark Blog

How To's, Trademark Filing

How to Get a Trademark Application Expedited

For most companies, when it comes to registering trademarks, time is of the essence. With the standard time between application submission and review at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) now stretching to ten months or more, the desire for expedited reviews has become more prevalent than ever.  Luckily, there exists a lesser-known tactic—a trademark filing “hack”—that can […]

In The News, Sports

How the TaylorMade and Tiger Woods Partnership Might Have Teed Off

Based on corporate and trademark filings reviewed by Gerben IP, it appears as though Tiger Woods and TaylorMade have been secretly working on a new deal since early 2023. In 2023, Woods was still a Nike-endorsed athlete. The end of their 27-year partnership would not be officially confirmed until January 8, 2024. In this article, we’ll take a look at […]

The Basics

Top 16 Myths About Trademarks

In my 15+ years of practicing law, I’ve run into a myriad of common client misconceptions regarding trademarks and trademark law. This is understandable, as trademark law can be incredibly nuanced and complicated. In this article, I will break down the 16 most common trademark misconceptions I’ve heard and offer some insight into each myth. 1. A trademark registration means […]

Food & Beverage, How To's, In The News, Trademark Filing

From Aunt Jemima to Pearl Milling Company: Navigating Roadblocks in Trademark Registration

Selecting and protecting a new brand name is a daunting task for a company of any size. Even for a company as large as Quaker Oats. In recent years, Quaker Oats announced that it would rebrand its “Aunt Jemima” pancake and syrup brand to “Pearl Milling Company.” Nearly 3 years later, the company would finally receive a trademark registration for […]

In The News, Sports

XFL Files New Trademarks for “United Football League”

The XFL has filed 22 new trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to protect: UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE UFL The applications, which were filed on October 10, 2023, cover a wide variety of goods and services, indicating that “UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE” could be the name of the merged USFL and XFL leagues. All applications for the two […]

In The News, Sports

Trademark Filing Suggests Collaboration Between Erin Andrews and Deion Sanders

Are Erin Andrews and Deion Sanders going into business together? A recent trademark filing indicates this is happening. On October 5, a joint filing was made by WEAR APPAREL, LLC (Erin Andrews’ company) and PRIME TIME ENTERPRISES, INC. (Deion Sanders’ company) for this logo: The trademark filing indicates that these two companies have plans to use this logo for a […]

Government, In The News

Trademark Gridlock: Why the USPTO is Processing Trademarks at a Historically Slow Rate

A Gerben IP Exclusive Report As the USPTO has fallen behind on its trademark processing timeline goals, it has simply moved the goalpost to make it appear that it is hitting goals again. The USPTO is processing new trademark applications at a historically slow rate. At no time in the history of the United States has it taken longer for […]

In The News, Pop Culture

Kanye West Files 26 Trademark Applications to Protect “YEWS”

A California company which is listed as the owner for Kanye West’s trademarks with the USPTO has filed 26 new trademark applications for “YEWS.” The filings, made on October 2, cover a significant range of goods and services.  Per statements made in the filings, Kanye’s company has a “bona fide intent” to use the trademarks in connection with these goods and services. […]

Digital, In The News, Pop Culture

X Corp. Sued for Trademark Infringement

A trademark infringement lawsuit has been filed against X Corp. (formerly known as Twitter) by X SOCIAL MEDIA LLC. The lawsuit was filed on Monday, October 2, 2023 by Gerben Perrott on behalf of X SOCIAL MEDIA LLC. View the Lawsuit Contact Gerben Perrott

How To's, Trademark Filing, Trademark Protection

The Trademark Playbook for Influencers: Safeguarding Your Brand

Content creators, or influencers, are becoming business owners with million-dollar businesses and have to learn the tenets of business, such as intellectual property. New businesses have the challenge of creating and developing successful brands, but influencers have the challenge of turning a successful brand into a well-protected and long-lasting business. One way they can protect the longevity of their brand? […]

The Basics, Trademark Filing

Navigating Trademark Examination Delays: Strategies for Businesses

In the dynamic landscape of business, where quick thinking is often the key to success, a significant roadblock has emerged that is testing the resilience of entrepreneurs – the extended wait time for the USPTO to examine trademark applications. This challenge has far-reaching implications and makes it difficult for businesses to make informed decisions, plan effective branding strategies, and navigate […]

Digital, In The News, Pop Culture

Twitter’s “X” Rebrand: What About the Trademarks?

The Twitter rebrand to “X” is the trademark story of the year. Here’s a few reasons why: The Twitter trademark is known (and protected) around the world.Elon Musk’s recent decision to rebrand Twitter as “X,” abandoning a globally recognized and protected trademark in favor of a new one is unprecedented. Registering trademarks in the United States and overseas can take […]

Back to top