Author Archives: rtushnet

Trademark first sale still exists, at least when owner retroactively withdraws consent

Oneida Consumer, LLC v. Fox, No. 2:20-cv-2043, 2020 WL 4582704 (S.D. Ohio Aug. 10, 2020) Oneida sells flatware through a network of authorized retailers, partners, dealers and resellers, as well as through Oneida’s own website and third-party websites such as … Continue reading

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properly labeled keyword advertising isn’t confusing, court rules

Sen v. Amazon.com, Inc., No. 16cv1486-JAH (JLB), 2020 WL 4582678 (S.D. Cal. Aug. 10, 2020) Keyword advertising with proper labeling doesn’t infringe trademarks, dooming this lawsuit even if a prior agreement hadn’t applied. Of note: from the court’s description, it … Continue reading

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Lack of competitive injury dooms false advertising claim against unauthorized image use by strip club

Geiger v. Creative Impact Inc., No. CV-18-01443-PHX-JAT, 2020 WL 4583625 (D. Ariz. Aug. 10, 2020) The court rejects a motion to reconsider its ruling rejecting Lanham Act false advertising claims based the unauthorized use of plaintiffs’ images by a strip … Continue reading

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SEC v. Liu supports FTC’s pursuit of restitution in federal court

Federal Trade Comm’n v. Elegant Solutions, Inc., Case No. SACV 19-1333 JVS (KESx), 2020 WL 4390381 (C.D. Cal. Jul. 6, 2020)  I mostly try to find interesting legal issues, but sometimes it’s good to point out the importance of the … Continue reading

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FTC restrains unsubstantiated coronavirus claims

Federal Trade Comm’n v. Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical, Inc., 2020 WL 4501968, No. 1:20-cv-01060-DAD-SKO (E.D. Cal. Aug. 5, 2020)  Dealing with coronavirus-related claims, the court grants a TRO against defendants, including Tieu (president and CEO of the corporate defendants) and Meis … Continue reading

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Announcing the Fifth Edition of Advertising & Marketing Law: Cases & Materials by Goldman & Tushnet

(Crossposted from Eric’s blog, with thanks to my assistant Andrew Matthiesen and Eric for all the work they did to get the book out.) Eric Goldman and I are pleased to announce the fifth edition of our casebook, Advertising & … Continue reading

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context matters: “mineral-based” sunscreen with chemical-based active ingredients is plausibly deceptive

Prescott v. Bayer Healthcare LLC, 2020 WL 4430958, No. 20-cv-00102-NC (N.D. Cal. Jun. 31, 2020) (magistrate) Plaintiffs alleged that defendants deceived consumers by labeling their sunscreens as “mineral-based” when the sunscreens contain active chemical ingredients. As the court explains,   … Continue reading

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No contributory liability for athlete union’s endorsement of supplement

DNA Sports Performance Lab, Inc. v. Major League Baseball, 2020 WL 4430793, No. C 20-00546 WHA (N.D. Cal. Aug. 1, 2020)  Courts seem to perceive people affiliated with TM/(c) infringers as more blameworthy than people affiliated with false advertisers. One … Continue reading

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selling w/in another distributor’s exclusive territory isn’t plausibly false advertising of authorization

Northern Bottling Co. v. Henry’s Foods, Inc., No. 1:19-cv-021, 2020 WL 4208526 (D.N.D. Jul. 22, 2020)  Northern is a PepsiCo bottler/distributor; it has some Exclusive Bottling Appointments that appoint Northern as PepsiCo’s “exclusive bottler, to bottle and distribute” a specific … Continue reading

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IPSC, Trademark

IPSC – Trademark Law I Moderator: Mark McKenna  Trademark Depletion in a Global, Multilingual Economy: Evidence from the European Union (abstract) Jeanne Fromer and Barton Beebe, NYU School of Law  Notes on the EU system: runs in parallel with national … Continue reading

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