UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE APPLICANT’S COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE BELOW.

 

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 10/18/2012

 

 

The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney.  Applicant must respond timely and completely to the issue(s) below.  15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62, 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.

 

Summary of Issues

 

1. No Conflicting Marks Found
2. Amended Identification of Goods Required
3. Name of an Individual
4. Advisory – Claimed Prior Registration is Cancelled – Reg. No. 3036055

 

Trademark Act Section 2(d) Search Results – No Conflicting Marks Found

 

The trademark examining attorney has searched the Office’s database of registered and pending marks and has found no conflicting marks that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d).  TMEP §704.02; see 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).

 

However, applicant must address the following procedural issues:

 

Amended Identification of Goods Required

 

The wording “clothing” in the identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified because the nature of the goods is not clear.  See TMEP §1402.01.  Applicant must list specific items of clothing, using common commercial names, in Class 025.  Suggestions are below in bolded font.

 

Applicant may adopt the following wording, if accurate:

 

• “Clothing, namely, _____ {list specific items of clothing, using common commercial names, in Class 025, e.g., t-shirts, hats, sweatpants}; men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and fashion accessories, namely, dresses, coats, shorts, shirts, dress shirts, pants, dress pants, jeans, sweaters, jackets, suits, tuxedos, dinner jackets, t-shirts, blouses, knit tops, vests, wind resistant jackets, rain coats, jogging suits, sweatshirts, sweatpants, ski jackets, ski pants, shawls, ponchos, shoulder wraps, neckerchiefs, bandannas, mufflers, headbands, belts, gloves, scarves, hosiery, socks, tights, leggings, leotards, pajamas, robes, underwear, undershirts, women’s lingerie, nightgowns; footwear; headwear; ties; caps and hats” in International Class 025.

 

For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and/or services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual at http://tess2.gov.uspto.report/netahtml/tidm.html.  See TMEP §1402.04.

 

An applicant may amend an identification of goods and services only to clarify or limit the goods and services; adding to or broadening the scope of the goods and/or services is not permitted.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); see TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07 et seq.

 

Name of an Individual

 

The applied-for mark contains the name “PUFF DADDY” and appears to identify a particular living individual; however, the application does not include this named party’s written consent to registration of the name as a trademark/service mark.  Written consent is required for registration of a mark containing a name, including a pseudonym, stage name or nickname, or signature, if the name or signature identifies a particular living individual.  Trademark Act Section 2(c), 15 U.S.C. §1052(c); TMEP §§813, 1206.04(a).  Therefore, applicant must clarify whether this name/signature identifies a particular living individual and, if so, provide a written consent from this individual, as explained further below.  37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); TMEP §§813, 1206.04(a).   

 

If the name or signature in the mark does not identify a particular living individual, then applicant must submit a statement that the name “PUFF DADDY” does not identify a living individual.  TMEP §§813.01(b), 1206.05; see 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b).

 

If the name or signature in the mark does identify a particular living individual, then applicant must submit the following: 

 

(1)  A statement that the name “PUFF DADDY” identifies a living individual whose consent is of record.  If the name represents that of a pseudonym, stage name, or nickname, applicant must include a statement that “PUFF DADDY” identifies the pseudonym/stage name/nickname of  SEAN COMBS [specify actual name], a living individual whose consent is of record; and

 

(2)  A written consent, personally signed by the individual whose name or signature appears in the mark, authorizing applicant to register the name, pseudonym, stage name, nickname, or signature as a trademark and/or service mark with the USPTO (e.g., “I consent to the use and registration of my pseudonym/stage name/nickname “PUFF DADDY” as a trademark and/or service mark with the USPTO”).

 

TMEP §§813, 813.01(a), 1206.04(a); see 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b).

 

Failure to respond to this inquiry is a sufficient basis for refusing registration.  See In re Cheezwhse.com, Inc., 85 USPQ2d 1917, 1919 (TTAB 2008); In re DTI P’ship LLP, 67 USPQ2d 1699, 1701 (TTAB 2003); TMEP §814.

 

Please be advised, an applicant does not have to submit a new consent if a consent to register is already part of the record in the file of a valid registration for a mark comprised in whole or in part of the same name, portrait, or signature for the same goods and/or services, or such goods and/or services as would encompass those in the subsequent application. See In re McKee Baking Co., 218 USPQ 287, 288 (TTAB 1983).  In this situation, the applicant only has to: (1) claim ownership of that existing registration; and (2) advise the examining attorney that the consent is of record therein.  TMEP §1206.04(c).

 

Advisory – Claimed Prior Registration is Cancelled – Reg. No. 3036055

 

Applicant’s claim of ownership of U.S. Registration No. 3036055 will not be printed on any registration which may issue from this application because Office records show that the claimed registration is cancelled.  Only claims of ownership of active registrations are printed.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.36; TMEP §812.

 

Response Guidelines

 

If applicant has questions about its application or needs assistance in responding to this Office action, please telephone the assigned trademark examining attorney directly at the number below.

 

 

 

/Laurie R. Kaufman/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 103

Ph: 571.272.8913

Fx: 571.273.8913

Email: laurie.kaufman@uspto.gov

 

TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:  Go to http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.  Please wait 48-72 hours from the issue/mailing date before using TEAS, to allow for necessary system updates of the application.  For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.  For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to this Office action by e-mail.

 

All informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.

 

WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:  It must be personally signed by an individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind an applicant (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint applicants).  If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the response. 

 

PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION:  To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) at http://tarr.gov.uspto.report/.  Please keep a copy of the complete TARR screen.  If TARR shows no change for more than six months, call 1-800-786-9199.  For more information on checking status, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/process/status/.

 

TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/eTEASpageE.htm.

 

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR

U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

USPTO OFFICE ACTION HAS ISSUED ON 10/18/2012 FOR

SERIAL NO. 85662902

 

Please follow the instructions below to continue the prosecution of your application:

 

 

TO READ OFFICE ACTION: Click on this link or go to http://portal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow and enter the application serial number to access the Office action.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The Office action may not be immediately available but will be viewable within 24 hours of this e-mail notification.

 

RESPONSE IS REQUIRED: You should carefully review the Office action to determine (1) how to respond; and (2) the applicable response time period. Your response deadline will be calculated from 10/18/2012 (or sooner if specified in the office action).

 

Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise attempt to e-mail your response, as the USPTO does NOT accept e-mailed responses.  Instead, the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the Trademark Electronic Application System Response Form.

 

HELP: For technical assistance in accessing the Office action, please e-mail

TDR@uspto.gov.  Please contact the assigned examining attorney with questions about the Office action. 

 

        WARNING

 

Failure to file the required response by the applicable deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.