To: | Lamoureux, François (trademark@collenip.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 88178313 - WE MAKE IT EASY - X945 |
Sent: | 12/18/2018 2:37:13 PM |
Sent As: | ECOM110@USPTO.GOV |
Attachments: | Attachment - 1 Attachment - 2 |
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 88178313
MARK: WE MAKE IT EASY
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CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS: COLLEN IP, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW, P. |
CLICK HERE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER: http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp
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APPLICANT: Lamoureux, François
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CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET NO: CORRESPONDENT E-MAIL ADDRESS: |
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OFFICE ACTION
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. A RESPONSE TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE TRADEMARK ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SYSTEM (TEAS) MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME OF THE LAST DAY OF THE RESPONSE PERIOD.
ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 12/18/2018
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.
LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION UNDER TRADEMARK ACT SECTION 2(d)
In a likelihood of confusion determination, the marks are compared for similarities in their appearance, sound, meaning or connotation and commercial impression. In re E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 1361, 177 USPQ 563, 567 (C.C.P.A. 1973); TMEP §1207.01(b). Similarity in any one of these elements may be sufficient to find a likelihood of confusion. In re White Swan Ltd., 8 USPQ2d 1534, 1535 (TTAB 1988); In re Lamson Oil Co., 6 USPQ2d 1041, 1043 (TTAB 1987); see TMEP §1207.01(b).
After examining the marks, the examining attorney applies the second step of the test, whether there is a likelihood of confusion on the basis of the services identified in the application and registration. If the cited registration describes the services broadly and there are no limitations as to their nature, type, channels of trade or classes of purchasers, it is presumed that the registration encompasses all services of the type described, that they move in all normal channels of trade, and that they are available to all potential customers. In re Elbaum, 211 USPQ 639 (TTAB 1981).
Applicant seeks to register the mark “WE MAKE IT EASY.” Registration No. 5120764 is for the mark “WE MAKE IT EASY.” Applicant’s mark is similar with regard to appearance, sound, meaning and commercial impression to the mark of cited registrant. The marks convey the same overall commercial impression. See: In re Akzona Inc., 94 (TTAB 1983); In re Wm. E. Wright Co., 185 USPQ 445 (TTAB 1975).
Applicant’s services are described as “Brand concept and brand development services for entertainers, businesses and individuals the field of entertainment; advertising services; business strategy development services to enhance brand recognition; Multimedia entertainment services in the nature of recording, production and post-production services in the fields of music, video, and films; Creative agency services, namely, special event planning for social entertainment purposes.” Registrant’s services are “Business services, namely, providing an online marketplace for buyers and sellers of services on a global computer network; Advertising services, namely, promoting the services of others.” The services of applicant are closely related or identical to the services of registrant. The applicant’s and registrant’s services are likely to be encountered by the same purchasers in the same channel of trade. Given the confusing similarity of the marks, consumers familiar with the registrant’s services are likely to believe that applicant’s services come from the same source.
Because the applicant’s mark is identical to the already registered mark and the services are identical and highly similar, there is a likelihood of confusion under Trademark Act Section 2(d). Based on the above reasons, a likelihood of confusion must be found to exist.
Although applicant’s mark has been refused registration, applicant may respond to the refusal(s) by submitting evidence and arguments in support of registration. However, if applicant responds to the refusal(s), applicant must also respond to the requirement(s) set forth below.
Applicant has classified “Brand concept and brand development services for entertainers, businesses and individuals the field of entertainment; advertising services; business strategy development services to enhance brand recognition” in International Class 41; however, the proper classification is International Class 35. Therefore, applicant may respond by (1) adding International Class 35 to the application and reclassifying these services in the proper international class, (2) deleting “Brand concept and brand development services for entertainers, businesses and individuals the field of entertainment; advertising services; business strategy development services to enhance brand recognition” from the application, or (3) deleting the remainder of the items in the identification and reclassifying the specified services in the proper international class. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.86(a), 6.1; TMEP §§1403.02 et seq. If applicant adds one or more international classes to the application, applicant must comply with the multiple-class requirements specified in this Office action.
ADDITION OF CLASSES TO THE APPLICATION
(1) List the goods and/or services by their international class number in consecutive numerical order, starting with the lowest numbered class.
(2) Submit a filing fee for each international class not covered by the fee(s) already paid (view the USPTO’s current fee schedule). The application identifies goods and/or services that are classified in at least 2 classes; however, applicant submitted a fee(s) sufficient for only 1 class(es). Applicant must either submit the filing fees for the classes not covered by the submitted fees or restrict the application to the number of classes covered by the fees already paid.
See 15 U.S.C. §§1051(b), 1112, 1126(e); 37 C.F.R. §§2.32(a)(6)-(7), 2.34(a)(2)-(3), 2.86(a); TMEP §§1403.01, 1403.02(c).
SIGNED DECLARATION OMITTED
The following statements must be verified: That applicant has a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce and had a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce as of the application filing date; that applicant believes applicant is entitled to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with the goods or services specified in the application; that to the best of the signatory’s knowledge and belief, no other persons, except, if applicable, concurrent users, have the right to use the mark in commerce, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance as to be likely, when used on or in connection with the goods/services of such other persons, to cause confusion or mistake, or to deceive; and that the facts set forth in the application are true. 37 C.F.R. §§2.33(b)(2), (c), 2.34(a)(2), (a)(3)(i), (a)(4)(ii). For more information about this, see the Verified statement webpage.
To provide these verified statements. After opening the correct TEAS response form, answer “yes” to wizard question #10, and follow the instructions within the form for signing. In this case, the form will require two signatures: one in the “Declaration Signature” section and one in the “Response Signature” section.
TEAS PLUS OR TEAS REDUCED FEE (TEAS RF) APPLICANTS – TO MAINTAIN LOWER FEE, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET, INCLUDING SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE: Applicants who filed their application online using the lower-fee TEAS Plus or TEAS RF application form must (1) file certain documents online using TEAS, including responses to Office actions (see TMEP §§819.02(b), 820.02(b) for a complete list of these documents); (2) maintain a valid e-mail correspondence address; and (3) agree to receive correspondence from the USPTO by e-mail throughout the prosecution of the application. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.22(b), 2.23(b); TMEP §§819, 820. TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants who do not meet these requirements must submit an additional processing fee of $125 per class of goods and/or services. 37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(v), 2.22(c), 2.23(c); TMEP §§819.04, 820.04. However, in certain situations, TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants may respond to an Office action by authorizing an examiner’s amendment by telephone or e-mail without incurring this additional fee.
/Caroline E. Wood/
Examining Attorney
Law Office 110
571-272-9243
caroline.wood@uspto.gov
(responses are not accepted via e-mail)
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 the Trademark Electronic Application System (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 the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/. Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen. If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or 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/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.