The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that the test for determining whether a word mark is generic also applies to color marks....more
To be eligible for trademark registration, a color must have acquired distinctiveness and must not be functional. Recently, the Federal Circuit discussed the importance that a color mark not be functional. ...more
Color trademarks have traditionally been difficult to obtain. Of the over 4 million trademark registrations, there were less than 1000 color trademarks as of 2019. To be eligible for trademark registration, a color must have...more
CeramTec v. Coorstek Bioceramics, Case No. 2023-1502 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 3, 2025) - Colors are generally permitted as source identifiers for trademarks or trade dress because they are typically perceived as an ornamental...more
Every month, Erise’s trademark attorneys review the latest developments at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in the courts, and across the corporate world to bring you the stories that you should know about: Fruity...more
A small hop for chocolate bunnies, a big step for Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli: The German Federal Court of Justice held that the particular shade of golden color is protected for Lindt & Sprüngli as a color...more
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently ruled that color marks can be inherently distinctive when applied to product packaging trade dress. The CAFC upends a long-held understanding that color marks can never...more