Is Genericide Still a Thing?

15 Jun , 2021

To register for the upcoming live webinar, please Click Here

Alphabet (Google) has beaten back challenges claiming that “google” is a generic term for searching in an internet search engine. More recently, Lego took the comedian and talk show host Seth Meyers to task for referring to “Legos” on-air, which led to a flurry of social media commentary expressing strong opinions. Has brand awareness gone far enough that trademark owners no longer need to be concerned that their brands will suffer the fate of ESCALATOR, LAUNDROMAT, and TRAMPOLINE? This audio CLE will consider whether using a trademark as an adjective and conducting awareness campaigns like “Not Even Xerox Can Xerox” and Velcro’s classic 2017 “Don’t Say Velcro” video are still necessary to keep trademarks from becoming generic. We will also take a look at the Booking.com case and consider whether this has lowered the bar for ordinary terms as trademarks.

To register for the upcoming live webinar, please Click Here

More Webcasts

The Bulk Sensitive D...

The “Preventing Access to U.S. Sensitive Personal Data and Government-Related Data by Countrie...

Navigating Governmen...

Contracting with the Federal Government is not like a business deal between two companies or a contr...

Litigating at Civili...

My contract was terminated and the contracting officer did not pay my invoices – what can I do...

Extreme Hardship in ...

This program provides immigration attorneys with a structured and strategic approach to developing e...

Dealing with Difficu...

Lawyers often work with clients, colleagues, and opposing counsel who are navigating some of the har...

Communication, Trust...

Effective representation depends on trust, communication, and responsiveness, yet these can break do...

Sexual Orientation A...

This program focuses on asylum claims based on sexual orientation, addressing the unique clinical, c...

Expert Testimony in ...

This program examines the strategic use of expert testimony in immigration court proceedings. Partic...

2026 Consumer Protec...

State attorneys general continue to play a central and increasingly aggressive role in consumer prot...

Brand Rent and 4 Oth...

Trademark doctrine was built for a marketplace that no longer exists, leaving practitioners to litig...