On June 17, 2019, Canada’s Trademarks Act changed, resulting in its modernization. Canada has now joined five international intellectual property treaties, including the Madrid Protocol, Singapore Treaty and Nice Agreement,...more
2018 was an exciting year for the trademarks profession in Canada. The long awaited changes to our Trademarks Act were announced, many of which will bring us in line this year with the rest of the world. There will also be a...more
Since the Lanham Act was passed in 1946, trademark protection has encompassed an ever expanding list of attributes that can be perceived as denoting the source of a product or service. Recently issued registrations cover...more
Hasbro, Inc. recently made headlines when it received a federal trademark registration for the scent of its Play-Doh product. While it isn’t impossible to register a trademark for a scent, it is rare, and it is a reminder of...more
On May 15, 2018, the United States Patent and Trademark Office officially registered the distinctive smell of Play-Doh, a favorite childhood toy for many. The federal registration covers “Toy modeling compounds” and states...more
Part of the fun of trademark practice is its unique overlap with literature, art, science, culture, and psychology. Words and symbols are used as trademarks to identify sources of commercial goods; convey messages to...more