Craigslist has an unconventional approach to investing in its ‘brand’: it doesn’t do anything.  “We never even use that word internally,” Mr. Buckmaster [Craigslist’s CEO] said.  “We do zero advertising.  We don’t have a logo.  Now we’re told that we have the strongest brand ever for a company our size.”

from “Rebels With A…

Blog compilation of fried chicken stores named after any state in the Union other than Kentucky.  Hat tip Kevin.

Via Heise Online, a report of a French decision awarding the domain name AFP.INFO to Agence France Press, from a German entity that alleged that it registered the name to provide information regarding ‘Agentur fur Privatschulen’ (Agency for Private Schools).  In view of the interesting jurisdictional issues, is anyone aware of an English translation…

An amazing blow-by-blow log of a software company going after an infringer (via Slashdot).
A couple of my initial reactions to this story:
1.  This is why IP lawyers need to be forensic scientists;
2.  This is why IP lawyers go after ‘middlemen’ such as ISPs;
3.  This is why anonymity on the ‘selling’ side…

A demand letter sent by an unidentified law firm representing the MPAA to LokiTorrent, a site allegedly facilitating unauthorized distribution of digitized movies using BitTorrent, a PTP protocol. Via Slashdot.

Here’s the thing to remember that gets forgotten.  One of the functions of trademarks and appellations of origin is to act as shorthand.  As Judge Posner might put it, consumers save time and money searching products by choosing a brand, as opposed to doing exhaustive analysis of propsective purchases.

One such shorthand is BLACK ANGUS. …

NY Times article on puffery and truthfulness in advertising claims.

Prior posts on puffery here and here.

Effective January 31, 2005, trademark fees will change as follows:

Initial Applications:

(1) $325 per international class if using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS)
(2) $375 per international class if submitting paper

Amendments or Responses to Office Actions:

(1) $325 per additional international class when the fee is paid as part of a TEAS

…