Red Bull sued Mad Croc (distibutor of a competitive energy drink) in October. Red Bull has now announced a settlement involving a permanent injunction and a ‘substantial payment’ to Red Bull.

I’m scheduled to be interviewed on trademark parodies on KCBS 740 AM in San Francisco, 1:20 pm.

IPKat reports that Blockbuster has declined to open stores in China and will pull out of Hong Kong, stating that copyright piracy makes it unprofitable to do business there.

Can’t go a week without mentioning Google.  GOOGLE selected as Global Brand of the Year in a poll of reader of BrandChannel.com (a sub of Interbrand).  Rounding out the top five: APPLE, MINI, COCA-COLA and SAMSUNG.

$9 million damage award against Disney upheld on appeal by Eighth Circuit.  Jury trial found that Disney had violated duty of confidentiality to and missappropriated information from former co-venturer, now competitor, in childrens’ radio,

Children’s Broadcastng Corp. v. Walt Disney, ABC Radio, et. al., no. 02-3161 (8th Cir. Jan 26, 2004).

According to The Smoking Gun, this is the confidential settlement agreement entered into between Best Buy and various actors from The Sopranos, who were featured in the Best Buy ad below without their authorization  According to the (unsigned) document posted, the Sopranos actors are to receive $1 million.

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Copy of the complaint in American Blind v. Google keyword case here.

There, I said it.

Coverage on knock-off Super Bowl merchandise here and here.

Discussion of ambush marketing in relation to Super Bowl here and here.

Example of advertising which refers to “the game on Sunday” without using the term Super Bowl here.

While you’re watching the big game on Sunday, don’t forget…