Kevin Qiao is a J.D. Candidate, 2021 at the NYU School of Law. On December 28, 2018, Netflix released Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, a relatively unique interactive film that gave viewers the ability to make choices for the main character during critical moments (one particularly mind-bending choice involves telling the fictional character that the viewer is controlling him via Netflix), thereby… read more
Kiana Robinson is a J.D. Candidate, 2021 at NYU School of Law. In the beauty and fashion world, color trends regularly come and go, and as soon as one color becomes “in,” it’s already on its way “out.” This has not been the case however for one color, aptly named for its particular appeal to one generation, Millennial Pink. The… read more
Anastasiya Kryukova is a J.D. candidate, 2021 at NYU School of Law. Celebrities have been making use of the protections that trademark law offers for many decades now. In the 1980s, Madonna became one of the first celebrities to consult trademark law to protect her likeness rights. Another prominent trademark case was a battle in 1998 between Elvis Presley’s estate… read more
Siyu Yan is an L.L.M. candidate, 2020 at NYU School of Law. Since the beginning of 2020, we have experienced an outbreak of Coronavirus around the world. Some regions or countries have recovered from this pandemic while others are still trying to overcome a tough situation. Due to home-quarantine, many in-person activities have turned into virtual activities through online software.… read more
Francesca Masella is a J.D. candidate, 2021 at NYU School of Law. Trademark law serves to protect against consumer confusion as to the source of a product. It does so by granting producers the exclusive right to use a mark in commerce. However, granting exclusive rights has a limit: producers will not receive protection for using words that represent their… read more
Zachary Landow is a J.D. candidate, 2021, at NYU School of Law. On September 11, 2019, a routine cargo inspection at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) led to the discovery of 28 counterfeit NBA championship rings. The rings were intended to be shipped from China to Arizona, and the agents who made the discovery believe that the rings were to… read more
Anastasiya Kryukova is a J.D. Candidate, 2021 at NYU School of Law. With the growth of the internet and the increasing prevalence of online shoppers, platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba have become significant players in the current-day marketplace. With the internet becoming a central, relied-upon hub for day-to-day activities and transactions, there are an array of problems that… read more
Kiana Robinson is a J.D. Candidate, 2021 at NYU School of Law. The sportswear and athletic footwear company Adidas has been having quite a busy year defending the three-stripe mark in American and European courts. In August 2019, the company filed a Notice of Opposition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeals Board (TTAB) against J.… read more
Bud Light (which currently boasts a 1.23/5 rating on RateBeer.com) is known for being cheap; light on calories and flavor; and, according to their most recent spate of commercials, advertising, and packaging, having absolutely nothing to do with corn syrup. This is in contrast to its competitor MillerCoors, who it alleges uses corn syrup in both Miller Lite and Coors… read more
Fake trademark specimens have become a significant issue at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”). Over the past few years, the USPTO has had to deal with an increase in the number of fake specimens submitted with trademark applications, particularly those made by Chinese applicants. In the United States, trademark registration is use-based. An applicant must provide… read more
