Trade Marks

Cats, noodles and a bit of bad luck

It is often said that cats have 9 lives however this doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re lucky. This was found to be the case by the owners of a new…

EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE TEACHES US A LESSON IN…TRADE MARKS!

The European Super League (“ESL”) has gone up in a ball of flames but there is no reason why that should happen to you and your business dreams. While the…

Burberry v Baneberry

The world-renowned British fashion chain Burberry has recently secured a rarely granted injunction in China restraining a competitor from using similar trade marks to its brand. Background The case was…

Help! I’ve received a Notice of Threatened Opposition, what do I do now?

Well, let’s start by explaining what a Notice of Threatened Opposition actually is… essentially it’s a form (called a TM7A if you’re interested) that potential opponents of a trade mark…

Bury AFC are winning battles on and off the pitch

Trade marks are not exclusive to big brands such as McDonalds, Coca Cola or Nike, but can in fact apply to every business across the world, including the independent coffee…

Battle of the Crypto Trade Mark

Wirex, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency payment platforms, has been successful in its High Court trade mark infringement claim against Cryptocarbon Group and Bee-One UK Ltd, in respect of…

US theme park accuses Taylor Swift of Trade Mark Infringement

Taylor Swift may be a successful chart-topping songstress, but the ‘Shake it Off’ popstress cannot seem to shake off her legal issues. You may recall, not long ago (July 2020,…

How To Register Your Trade Mark Overseas

  When it comes to protecting your brand, registering a trade mark is essential. However, many clients often wonder how they can obtain a trade mark worldwide. It is important…

Brexit – Trade Marks & Designs… did the plan work??

For those of you who have been following the UK Intellectual Property Office’s post-Brexit plans (just me?) I’m sure you’re wondering, did it work? The short answer is yes, on…

THE DAVID AND GOLIATH OF FASHION: A FIGHTING BACK TALE

Now more than ever, emerging designers are victims of fast-fashion companies, which scout talents via social media and reproduce their designs for a quarter of their original price.

Shoes are made “for walking”… Duh!

For information on what rules a successful trade mark application needs to comply with contact Briffa.

Brexit and trade marks – a reminder

Brexit is back, actually it never left, and the end of the UK’s transition period (31 December 2020) is almost upon us

Use it or lose it – another cautionary tale from the EUIPO

Ferrari trade mark partially revoked for non-use - another cautionary tale from the EUIPO

Trade Mark Protection in China

For many years China was notorious for the lack of solid IP protection available to western brands. Squatters have been abusing the Chinese first-to-file trade mark system for years, obtaining…

Criminal Proceedings under The Trade Marks Act 1994 – When is this the right route?

Disputes can arise at a difficult time for the business, for the most part we are able to settle them on a commercial basis, either before or after the issue of civil proceedings.

Banksy and his uneasy relationship with IP

Banksy registered an image of a mural as a trade mark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, in an effort to ‘control’ his art, but a greeting card company were having none of it!

The Crown says NO! – Absolute Royal Refusal

instructing an IP lawyer early on in the trade marking process is imperative as we are usually able to spot any potential red flags that may affect your application.

IP myth: Companies House registration protects your brand

IP myth: Companies House registration protects your brand

What a Messi Battle

After a long nine-year battle superstar football ace, Lionel Messi can register his name as a trade mark.

WHAT’S THAT LOGO, IS IT AN APPLE? IS IT AN ORANGE OR IS IT A PEAR? NOPE! IT DOESN’T MATTER ITS ALL THE SAME, RIGHT?

Apple has made headlines for aggressively opposing a small businesses trade mark application for a…. yep you guessed it, a PEAR logo… sorry!

Amazon’s Brand Registry – what is it and how can we help?

Amazon now operates an effective Brand Registry tool on each of its country-specific platforms which allows brand owners to exercise a great deal of control over who uses their trade marks.

Food producers should to ready for potential shake up with Geographic Indicator Marks

As we speed towards the end of the transition period with the EU, it is not yet clear what the position will be in terms of Geographic Indicators. The competitive edge it gives UK producers to protect its own markets should not be underestimated after transition.

Why Register a Trade Mark?

Protection of a brand which is done by means of obtaining a registered trade mark is often overlooked by start up businesses.

Trade marks, tracks, beats and brands

‘trade mark’ will be a term that those in the music industry will be all too familiar with, but what are they, what do they do and (drum roll please) how can they make money?