The Conkle Firm Teaches International Entrepreneurs in BIMA Program

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The Conkle Firm Teaches International Entrepreneurs in BIMA Program
Conkle, Kremer & Engel attorney Mark Kremer has been honored to participate in and contribute to the revolutionary Beauty Industry Market Access (BIMA) program through the Center for International Trade Development (CITD).  The BIMA program was developed and is led by beauty industry guru Patty Schmucker and international trade expert Cesar Arellanes, the Director of CITD in Long Beach.   BIMA is a five week intensive international trade and business education program taught by leading health and beauty industry experts. BIMA participants focus on key program principles distinct to conducting business overseas, receive bi-monthly objectives for assessing their business, and ultimately produce an export growth plan exclusive to their business. Participants also have access to upcoming trade missions to the world’s largest emerging market beauty trade shows – effective venues for executing learned principles and business plans.

Mark contributes to the BIMA educational program by teaching modules on domestic and foreign intellectual property protection, domestic regulatory compliance, and international distribution agreements.   Participants are particularly interested in cost-effective methods of protecting their intellectual property internationally, such as international trademark registrations through the Madrid System.  The Madrid System offers a centralized application process for trademark registration in over 90 countries based on a brand owner’s domestic application or registration.  Participants are also interested in CK&E’s practical approach to domestic regulatory compliance, including California’s evolving green chemistry initiative, Safe Cosmetics Act and Proposition 65.  Participants have also benefited from CK&E’s tips for forging fruitful business relationships with distributors, based on decades of experience representing clients in the personal care products industry.

CK&E will join Patty Schmucker and several graduates of the BIMA educational program to Cosmoprof Worldwide in Bologna in April 2014.  Mark looks forward to the next BIMA session, which begins on June 26, 2014.  Click for further information about joining the BIMA program: BIMA_Summer-Fall_2014

 

 

 

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22
MAR
0

Beauty Industry, Brand Protection, California Organic Products Act, California Trade Regulations, Copyrights, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Personal Care Products, Proposition 65, Regulatory Compliance, Safe Cosmetics Act, Safer Consumer Products Regulations, Trademarks, Unfair Competition

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gTLDs are Already Causing Confusion – Just Ask Wayne Knight and TMZ

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gTLDs are Already Causing Confusion – Just Ask Wayne Knight and TMZ
UPDATED July 15, 2015

Actor Wayne Knight (best known as Newman on Seinfeld) was forced to tweet his “proof of life” on Twitter, after a website that uses the domain name TMZ.today reported that he was killed in a traffic accident and the story went viral.  It has been reported that many users credited the story of the death of Wayne Knight because it was circulated with attribution to the website TMZ.today.  TMZ is well known as a major source of real entertainment news and celebrity gossip.  TMZ uses the domain name TMZ.com, but the domain name TMZ.today links to an entirely different website called ebuzzd.com that is actually an unrelated, deliberately fake news website – a website dedicated to hoaxes.

Wayne Knight’s concerns aside, this story presents important lessons for trademark holders and domain name registrants:  New generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) are here and must be reckoned with.  TMZ.com is not TMZ.today, but it’s a good bet that a substantial portion of the consuming public does not know that.  Will the consuming public realize that your company website “XYZ.com” is not affiliated with XYZ.Today, XYZ.News, XYZ.Info, XYZ.Web, XYZ.Blog, XYZ.Corp, XYZ.Inc, XYZ.London, XYZ.Charity or XYZ.Porn, or any of the 600+ other non-branded gTLDs that are available now and coming online within the next two years?

For a trademark holder, it can be a daunting prospect to try to police that many possible confusing domain names, but there are cost-effective brand protection strategies and solutions.  They begin with recognizing the issue, and making sure that you have taken all appropriate steps to protect your trademarks and domain names.  The most basic step is to obtain U.S. trademark registrations for your important trademarks – especially for your primary brand.  That is the key to many of the solutions that are offered at http://trademark-clearinghouse.com/, the administrative service established by ICANN to help control issuance of gTLDs.   Then, set a strategy that includes monitoring the “Sunrise Periods,” during which registered trademark holders can take the most efficient steps to protect against spurious registrations of confusingly similar domain names with the new gTLDs.

The best and most cost-effective methods of protection against gTLD infringers and domain name cybersquatters will be discussed in future blog posts.  Available methods include preemptive registration, blocking and various forms of policing.  Conkle, Kremer & Engel routinely guides its clients to protect their valuable intellectual property and domain names, including taking proactive steps to address the new threats to trademarks posed by gTLDs.  Contact us if you have questions and need assistance.

 

UPDATE July 15, 2015:  Another example of misuse of gTLD domain extensions happened again and demonstrates that real money can change hands when gTLD domain name extensions are abused.  Twitter stock jumped on July 14, 2015 after what appeared to be the Bloomberg Business website posted a news article reporting that Twitter had received a $31 billion buyout offer.  The story was fake, but it passed for real news by being posted on a website designed as a counterfeit of the Bloomberg Business website and using a new gTLD:  www.bloomberg.market.  The real Bloomberg website is actually found at www.bloomberg.com.  To help make a convincing appearance, the www.bloomberg.market website included links back to the real www.bloomberg.com website.  Enough readers were fooled that Twitter stock price spiked after news of the purported buyout offer was picked up in legitimate media.  gTLD confusion may continue to be a problem for trademark holders until they take affirmative steps to limit the possibilities of confusion and abuse.

 

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18
MAR
0

Banking and Finance, Beauty Industry, Brand Protection, Contracts, Business and Finance, Domain Names, Fashion, Food, Craft Beer and Nutrition, Industries Represented, Intellectual Property, Manufacturing, Real Estate & Construction, Sales, Technology, Trademarks, Unfair Competition

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China Finds Parallel Imports Constitute Trademark Infringement

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China Finds Parallel Imports Constitute Trademark Infringement
Chinese trademark law has no specific prohibitions against sale of gray market products diverted into the Chinese market, also known as parallel importation.  An important breakthrough occurred recently when the Suzhou Intermediate Court enforced trademark holders’ rights against an unauthorized reseller of gray market goods imported into China.

Pernod Ricard China (Trading) Co., Ltd. is the exclusive trademark licensee of Absolut Vodka (Images II-IV) in China.  Pernod Ricard and the trademark owner, Absolut Company Aktiebolag, brought a lawsuit in China against a local retailer of parallel imports of Absolut Vodka products, asserting trademark infringement and unfair competition.  The key facts were that the imported products had manufacturers’ identification codes removed and had added labels bearing Chinese characters for “Absolut” (Image I) and identifying an unauthorized importer and distributor.  The code removal and label addition infringed consumers’ right to know about the product origin, interfered with the trademark owners’ ability to track products to maintain product quality, and undermined the integrity and beauty of the genuine product.   The removal of the manufacturers’ identification code violated Article 52.5 of China’s Trademark Law, which is a catchall term prohibiting impairment of an exclusive right to use a registered trademark, and constituted unfair competition.  The addition of unauthorized labeling violated Article 52.1 & 52.2, prohibiting use of an identical or similar mark on the same or similar goods without the permission of the owner of the registered trademark, and infringed the exclusive right to use the registered trademark.

Absolut Vodka Images

Absolut Vodka Images

Conkle, Kremer & Engel works to protect its clients’ brands in the United States and abroad.

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11
FEB
0

Advertising and Labeling, Beauty Industry, Brand Protection, Fashion, Food, Craft Beer and Nutrition, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Trademarks, Unfair Competition

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CK&E Attends ISSE to Help Beauty Industry Clients

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CK&E Attends ISSE to Help Beauty Industry Clients
Conkle, Kremer & Engel attorneys recently attended the International Salon and Spa Expo (ISSE).  Held annually in Long Beach, California in January, ISSE is the biggest beauty expo on the West Coast, and attracts hundreds of beauty industry companies from around the world.  ISSE is sponsored by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA).

CK&E attorneys attended ISSE to meet with beauty industry clients, and to stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in the industry.  Attending trade shows helps CK&E maintain its unparalleled legal expertise on such matters as intellectual property protection, manufacturer-distributor relations and government regulatory and compliance issues that affect personal care product companies.

One highlight of this year’s ISSE was the launch of Glycelene, a line of natural, organic and vegan beauty ointments by CK&E client Borio Beauty.  Glycelene was named to PBA’s “Hot List” of products.  As part of CK&E’s  practice of assisting emerging companies for costs reasonably scaled to their needs, resources and business plans, CK&E helped to protect the Glycelene brand from its inception by initiating federal trademark registration and consulting on the packaging.

The breadth and depth of CK&E’s industry experience allows the firm to accomplish client objectives efficiently and effectively.  CK&E continuously builds on its decades of experience representing client interests in every facet of the personal care product industry by continuing to stay up to date on all matters of concern to its industry clients.

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30
JAN
0

Advertising and Labeling, Beauty Industry, Brand Protection, Intellectual Property, Manufacturing, Personal Care Products, Trademarks

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Conkle Kremer & Engel Presents Brand Protection in Brazil

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Conkle Kremer & Engel Presents Brand Protection in Brazil

Daniel Advogados presenting at CK&E's Brand Protection in Brazil

Daniel Advogados presenting at CK&E’s Brand Protection in Brazil

Conkle, Kremer & Engel recently teamed up with its international correspondent lawyers from the Brazilian intellectual property firm Daniel Advogados, Andrew Bellingall and George de Lucena, to give a presentation about what companies can do to protect their brands in Brazil, including helpful information about doing business in Brazil.  Conkle, Kremer & Engel’s Mark D. Kremer emceed the event and moderated the informative Q&A that followed the presentation.

Brazil is the world’s fifth-largest country in the world in terms of land mass and population.  Brazil is also a founding member of BRICS – the acronym for the five major emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.  Its growing middle class, stable currency, and high demand for its commodity exports have all made Brazil a very desirable place for companies to expand. And it does not hurt that Brazil will host both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic games.

Kyle Baker shows his 3Expressions 3D Tablet innovation to John Conkle and George Mendonça de Lucena

Kyle Baker shows his 3Expressions 3D Tablet innovation to John Conkle and George Mendonça de Lucena

Because our clients’ intellectual property and brand protection needs extend beyond the U.S. border, Conkle, Kremer & Engel has established working teams with leading international intellectual property law firms around the world.  It is Conkle, Kremer & Engel’s mission to stay on top of developments in all foreign and domestic markets where our clients currently operate or look to expand.

Conkle, Kremer & Engel wishes to thank all those who attended the presentation, as well as our friends and colleagues from Daniel Advogados, Andrew Bellingall and George de Lucena.   We are pleased to be able to confirm that the presentation was approved by the State Bar of California for 1.0 hour of participatory MCLE credit for all lawyers and paralegals in attendance.  For all questions regarding MCLE credit, please contact Martinique E. Busino at 310-998-9100.

Slideshows from Brand Protection in Brazil:

Daniel Advogados – Doing Business in Brazil

Daniel Advogados – Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy in Brazil

Topics covered in the presentation and the Q&A session included:

Strategies for entering the Brazilian market

  • Exporting goods bearing the owner’s trademark
  • Doing business through a subsidiary
  • Licensing use of trademarks to an unrelated third-party
  • Joint ventures with Brazilian companies
  • Franchise agreements with Brazilian companies

 Protection of trademarks in Brazil

  • Best practices for brand protection
  • An overview of trademark prosecution and enforcement in Brazil
  • Procedures and delays at the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office
  • Legal remedies available to intellectual property owners
  • Court procedures in Brazil for actions involving intellectual property
  • Registration of domain names in Brazil

The latest developments at the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office regarding trademarks

  • Issues related to Brazil’s possible adoption of the Madrid Protocol
  • Adoption of multi-class and multiple owner applications

Combating counterfeiting and piracy in Brazil

  • Ramifications of intellectual property infringements, which are crimes in Brazil
  • Using criminal remedies and border control measures as intellectual property protection solutions

 

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13
OCT
0

Banking and Finance, Beauty Industry, Brand Protection, Contracts, Business and Finance, Fashion, Food, Craft Beer and Nutrition, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Manufacturing, Sales, Technology, Trademarks

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Kirtsaeng Holds Copyright First Sale Doctrine Trumps Importation Rights

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Kirtsaeng Holds Copyright First Sale Doctrine Trumps Importation Rights
The Copyright Act gives a copyright owner the exclusive right to sell copies of the copyrighted work. But once a genuine copy is sold, a lawful owner of that particular copy can resell or transfer what he bought without infringing the copyright – the copyright owner can no longer use the copyright to control the resale of that particular copy.  This copyright limitation has become known as the “First Sale Doctrine.”

A quirk in copyright law arose because the Copyright Act has a provision that prevents importation of a copyrighted work into the U.S. without the copyright owner’s permission.  (17 U.S.C. 602(a)(1)).  This ability of the copyright owner to prohibit importation seemed to conflict with the First Sale Doctrine when a copy is first sold outside of the United States.

In the 1998 decision Quality King Distributors, Inc. v. L’Anza Research, Int’l, Inc., the Supreme Court held that a copyrighted product manufactured in the U.S., but first sold in a foreign country, was subject to the First Sale Doctrine.  The result was that the copyright owner could not prohibit importation of the copyrighted product into the U.S.  But the question remained whether the First Sale Doctrine also applied to copyrighted works that were both manufactured and first sold outside the U.S.

In March 2013 the Supreme Court answered the question by applying the First Sale Doctrine regardless of where the copyrighted work is manufactured or first sold.  In Kirtsaeng dba Bluechristine99 v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., the products involved were textbooks manufactured and first sold in Thailand by the copyright owner, then later imported into the U.S. for resale without the copyright owner’s permission.   In a split decision, the Supreme Court held that the Copyright Act requires that the First Sale Doctrine applies to authentic, unaltered products that were lawfully manufactured and first sold by the copyright owner in a foreign country as well as in the U.S.

The Kirtsaeng decision provides no protection for sale of modified, adulterated, pirated or counterfeit copies, regardless of where they were made or sold.  Nor does it insulate parties from participation in fraud, breach of contract, unfair competition or other wrongful acts that are independent of copyright protections.  Conkle, Kremer & Engel has long recommended that its clients take a multi-faceted approach to preventing and remedying product diversion and counterfeiting, so they are able to effectively address the problem no matter where and how the misconduct occurs.

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9
APR
0

Beauty Industry, Brand Protection, Copyrights, Fashion, Food, Craft Beer and Nutrition, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Manufacturing, Personal Care Products, Sales, Technology, Trademarks, Unfair Competition

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