October 26, 2020

  • Nominative Fair Use: One Defense Against a Brand Bully

    Nominative Fair Use: One Defense Against a Brand Bully

    Understanding Brand Bullies On top of today’s extremely competitive market, small businesses may be also dealing with a “brand bully.” Also known as a trademark bully, a brand bully is a company that resorts to litigation and uses its trademark rights to harass and intimidate another business without a sound legal basis. These companies often file oppositions against marks or the use of their alleged mark that would not directly or substantially damage them. The brand bullies primarily rely on their “fame” or “strength” of their marks, and the smaller business’s lack of resources for prolonged litigation. Typically, these brand… Read More