The Trademark Blog had the highest number of hits ever yesterday, not from people seeking trademark information or the SoBig Virus patch, but from people Googling the phrase JELLY KELLY (the unauthorized rubber version of the much more expensive Hermes Kelly bag) .   While it would have been nice (and more lucrative) to sell some of those people bags, I’m afraid I would get the cold shoulder at the next trademark guild meeting.

In view of the overwhelming demand for a good-looking $150 bag, the question arises: can a luxury goods manufacturer recapture some of this money left on the table.  What if Hermes had authorized its own version of a Jelly Kelly?