Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee: The Trademark Rivalry
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It’s college football rivalry week at Trust Tree! My Vanderbilt Commodores travel to Knoxville this weekend to take on Kevin and George’s University of Tennessee Volunteers. It’s the 110th contest between the schools, and UT leads the series 74–30–5. UT is a 17.5 point favorite with an over/under of 40.5. Given Vandy’s offensive struggles, I suggest […]
Celebrity Chefs Cook Up Trademark Success in Nashville
Nashville is world famous for its music industry, but it’s the culinary scene that’s getting a lot of attention recently. In addition to a vibrant local food scene, celebrity chefs like Jonathan Waxman, Sean Brock, Maneet Chauhan, Dale Levitski, Richard Blais, and Donald Link have all recently opened restaurants. In today’s increasingly competitive restaurant industry, brands […]
#DeepWater: The Branding of Vanderbilt Football
The Vanderbilt football season opens tonight against Western Kentucky. Western is a trendy pick to beat the Commodores, but optimism reigns supreme on West End avenue (at least at this time of year). Vandy running back Ralph Webb is a budding star, and the defense should be considerably better this year with head coach Derrick […]
Branding Lessons You Can Learn From Celebrities Like Gene Simmons
Brands are often the most valuable assets that celebrities own, driving demand and building relationships with fans, customers, and partners. This is known as “goodwill.” A trademark is, by definition, an embodiment of this goodwill. Given the importance of trademarks to brand protection, celebrities often pursue federal registrations to protect their reputations, prevent consumer confusion, and […]
Celebrate National Hot Dog Day With Trademarks!
It’s National Hot Dog Day! The origin of this holiday is unclear, but considering July is National Hot Dog Month, I suppose it makes sense to have it all culminate in a single day. Of course, as the father of two young children, I sometimes feels like National Hot Dog Day is everyday. The frankfurter […]
Motorcycle Gangs Hate Each Other, but Love Trademarks
The recent tiff between rival outlaw motorcycle clubs in and outside a Waco, Texas restaurant has brought biker culture to the forefront of the news cycle. Although it’s clear that these “one percenter” clubs may strongly disagree on control of territories, criminal activities, and codes of conduct, there is one thing nearly all the outlaw […]
Trump Intends to Make America Great Again
The Daily Mail is reporting that Donald Trump has asserted trademark rights in the phrase “Make America Great Again” against fellow Republican Ted Cruz. According to the article, Cruz has agreed to not use the phrase. Trump told the Daily Mail that slogan “is my whole theme.” But here’s the thing: Trump does not have a […]