Prosecco People Move On From Bullying Puns Over Trademark To Bullying Portmanteau Over Trademark

Prosecco People Move On From Bullying Puns Over Trademark To Bullying Portmanteau Over Trademark

3 years ago
Anonymous $qOHwDUKgAF

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200605/10415144654/prosecco-people-move-bullying-puns-over-trademark-to-bullying-portmanteau-over-trademark.shtml

Back in 2018, we wrote about the Consorzio di Tutela della Denominazione di Origine Controllata Prosecco, heretofore called only "The Prosecco People" to save my brain, opposing the trademark for a pet treats company over its branded doggy drink "Pawsecco." The EU IPO, in one of the most bizarre trademark rulings I've ever seen, acknowledged that there was almost no chance for any actual customer confusion over the use of "Pawsecco", but found in favor of The Prosecco People anyway, strictly because Prosecco was a well-known thing, and Woof and Brew's pun was referencing a well-known thing. That is simply not the purpose of trademark law. The entire idea is that the public shouldn't be confused in a given market of goods as to the origin of competing products. Pet drinks and Italian knockoffs of champagne seem fairly distinct in the marketplace.

As do alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, for that matter, and yet here come The Prosecco People again. This time, they are going after a French wine group that created a non-alcoholic sparkling grape drink and named it "Nosecco."