United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 88616937
Mark: PEACOCK
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Correspondence Address: |
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Applicant: PEACOCK TV LLC
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Reference/Docket No. xxx0485TUS
Correspondence Email Address: |
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NONFINAL OFFICE ACTION
The USPTO must receive applicant’s response to this letter within six months of the issue date below or the application will be abandoned. Respond using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). A link to the appropriate TEAS response form appears at the end of this Office action.
Issue date: December 16, 2019
PRIOR-FILED PENDING APPLICATIONS
In response to this Office action, applicant may present arguments in support of registration by addressing the issue of the potential conflict between applicant’s mark and the marks in the referenced applications. Applicant’s election not to submit arguments at this time in no way limits applicant’s right to address this issue later if a refusal under Section 2(d) issues.
SECTION 2(d) REFUSAL – LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION
Applicant’s mark is PEACOCK for “Education and entertainment services, namely, providing, displaying, and showing live and pre-recorded video in the fields of current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; providing a website featuring live and pre-recorded audio-visual content, specifically, motion pictures, television programs, videos, music videos, and music, and video clips, audio clips, music clips, film clips, and photographs, in the fields of current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; providing a website featuring video and interactive games; providing interactive online games; providing online information via wireless networks, the Internet, and global, regional, and local computer networks, on the subjects of motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music; providing online interactive resource and programming guides on the subjects of motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music tailored to viewer's programming preferences; electronic publishing services, namely, online publication of text, graphics, photographs, images, and audio-visual works of others for streaming or downloading, featuring current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; production and distribution of audio-visual works, namely, motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, music, and podcasts, for streaming or downloading in the fields of current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; rental of audio-visual works, namely, motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, music, and podcasts, in the fields of news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; rental of video games; production and distribution of video and computer game software; providing blogs in the nature of an online journal over the Internet featuring current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos.”
Registrants’ marks are:
DUKE PEACOCK for “series of prerecorded compact discs all containing music” in Registration No. 2170132;
PEACOCK GOSPEL CLASSICS for “musical sound recordings” in Registration Nos. 2367035 and 2367037 and;
PEACOCK MAGIC for “Gaming devices, namely gaming machines and computer software used therewith to enable the gaming machine to run” in Registration No. 3235822;
“PEACOCK CORRIDOR” in Chinese characters, in relevant part, “Phonograph records featuring music and movies; Digital media, namely, pre-recorded audio and video cassettes, digital video discs, digital versatile discs, downloadable audio and video recordings and DVDs featuring music, movies and documentaries; Compact discs featuring music, movies and documentaries; Video discs featuring movies, music, documentaries; video game cartridges” in Registration No. 4124625;
LADY PEACOCK for “game software” in Registration No. 4813891;
PEACOCK ENTERTAINMENT for “Entertainment services, namely, music publishing services; record label services, namely, music songwriting, music recording and production services” in Registration No. 5172480;
PEACOCK PALACE for, in relevant part, “Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line computer games and game applications, enhancements within online computer games, and game applications within online computer games” in Registration No. 5488000; and
THE PEACOCK NEWS for “Providing a website featuring entertainment information in the field(s) of daily events” in Registration No. 5756585.
Trademark Act Section 2(d) bars registration of an applied-for mark that is so similar to a registered mark that it is likely consumers would be confused, mistaken, or deceived as to the commercial source of the goods and/or services of the parties. See 15 U.S.C. §1052(d). Likelihood of confusion is determined on a case-by-case basis by applying the factors set forth in In re E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 1361, 177 USPQ 563, 567 (C.C.P.A. 1973) (called the “du Pont factors”). In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 866 F.3d 1315, 1322, 123 USPQ2d 1744, 1747 (Fed. Cir. 2017). Only those factors that are “relevant and of record” need be considered. M2 Software, Inc. v. M2 Commc’ns, Inc., 450 F.3d 1378, 1382, 78 USPQ2d 1944, 1947 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (citing Shen Mfg. Co. v. Ritz Hotel Ltd., 393 F.3d 1238, 1241, 73 USPQ2d 1350, 1353 (Fed. Cir. 2004)); see In re Inn at St. John’s, LLC, 126 USPQ2d 1742, 1744 (TTAB 2018).
Although not all du Pont factors may be relevant, there are generally two key considerations in any likelihood of confusion analysis: (1) the similarities between the compared marks and (2) the relatedness of the compared goods and/or services. See In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 866 F.3d at 1322, 123 USPQ2d at 1747 (quoting Herbko Int’l, Inc. v. Kappa Books, Inc., 308 F.3d 1156, 1164-65, 64 USPQ2d 1375, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2002)); Federated Foods, Inc. v. Fort Howard Paper Co.,544 F.2d 1098, 1103, 192 USPQ 24, 29 (C.C.P.A. 1976) (“The fundamental inquiry mandated by [Section] 2(d) goes to the cumulative effect of differences in the essential characteristics of the goods [or services] and differences in the marks.”); TMEP §1207.01.
Similarity of the Marks
Marks are compared in their entireties for similarities in appearance, sound, connotation, and commercial impression. Stone Lion Capital Partners, LP v. Lion Capital LLP, 746 F.3d 1317, 1321, 110 USPQ2d 1157, 1160 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (quoting Palm Bay Imps., Inc. v. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Maison Fondee En 1772, 396 F.3d 1369, 1371, 73 USPQ2d 1689, 1691 (Fed. Cir. 2005)); TMEP §1207.01(b)-(b)(v). “Similarity in any one of these elements may be sufficient to find the marks confusingly similar.” In re Inn at St. John’s, LLC, 126 USPQ2d 1742, 1746 (TTAB 2018) (citing In re Davia, 110 USPQ2d 1810, 1812 (TTAB 2014)); TMEP §1207.01(b).
Applicant’s mark is PEACOCK and design. Registrants’ marks are DUKE PEACOCK, PEACOCK GOSPEL CLASSICS, PEACOCK MAGIC, “PEACOCK CORRIDOR” in Chinese characters and design, LADY PEACOCK, PEACOCK ENTERTAINMENT, PEACOCK PALACE, and THE PEACOCK NEWS and design.
In this case, all of the compared marks contain the term PEACOCK, meaning the marks are identical in part in sound, appearance, meaning, and commercial impression. While each of the cited registrations has additional material that may distinguish it from other registered marks for similar goods, Applicant’s mark contains no additional material that would distinguish it from each of the cited registrations. Incorporating the entirety of one mark within another does not obviate the similarity between the compared marks, as in the present case, nor does it overcome a likelihood of confusion under Section 2(d). See Wella Corp. v. Cal. Concept Corp., 558 F.2d 1019, 1022, 194 USPQ 419, 422 (C.C.P.A. 1977) (finding CALIFORNIA CONCEPT and surfer design and CONCEPT confusingly similar); Coca-Cola Bottling Co. v. Jos. E. Seagram & Sons, Inc., 526 F.2d 556, 557, 188 USPQ 105, 106 (C.C.P.A. 1975) (finding BENGAL LANCER and design and BENGAL confusingly similar); In re Integrated Embedded, 120 USPQ2d 1504, 1513 (TTAB 2016) (finding BARR GROUP and BARR confusingly similar); In re Mr. Recipe, LLC, 118 USPQ2d 1084, 1090 (TTAB 2016) (finding JAWS DEVOUR YOUR HUNGER and JAWS confusingly similar); TMEP §1207.01(b)(iii).
Applicant’s and registrants’ use of design elements does not obviate a likelihood of confusion because consumers will use the literal portions of each of the marks to refer to each party’s goods and services. Additionally, the designs in the registered marks are of stylized peacocks, which only serve to reinforce to commercial impression of the literal elements in the marks.
The registrant’s mark is in Chinese, which is a common, modern language in the United States. See In re Oriental Daily News, Ltd., 230 USPQ 637 (TTAB 1986) .
The doctrine is applied when “the ordinary American purchaser” would “stop and translate” the foreign term into its English equivalent. Palm Bay, 396 F.3d at 1377, 73 USPQ2d at 1696 (quoting In re Pan Tex Hotel Corp., 190 USPQ 109, 110 (TTAB 1976)); TMEP §1207.01(b)(vi)(A). The ordinary American purchaser includes those proficient in the foreign language. In re Spirits Int’l, N.V., 563 F.3d 1347, 1352, 90 USPQ2d 1489, 1492 (Fed. Cir. 2009); see In re Thomas, 79 USPQ2d at 1024.
In this case, the ordinary American purchaser would likely stop and translate the mark because the Chinese language is a common, modern language spoken by an appreciable number of consumers in the United States. Thus, applicant’s PEACOCK is the English equivalent to the first term in registrant’s Chinese mark.
Thus, due to the similarity in sound, appearance, meaning, and commercial impression, the marks are confusingly similar.
Relatedness of the Goods and Services
Applicant’s services are “Education and entertainment services, namely, providing, displaying, and showing live and pre-recorded audio-visual content in the fields of current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; providing a website featuring live and pre-recorded audio-visual content, specifically, motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music, and video clips, audio clips, music clips, film clips, and photographs, in the fields of current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; providing a website featuring video and interactive games; providing interactive online games; providing online information via wireless networks, the Internet, and global, regional, and local computer networks, on the subjects of motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music; providing online interactive resource and programming guides on the subjects of motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music tailored to viewer's programming preferences; electronic publishing services, namely, online publication of text, graphics, photographs, images, and audio-visual works of others for streaming or downloading, featuring current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; production and distribution of audio-visual works, namely, motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, music, and podcasts, for streaming or downloading in the fields of current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; rental of audio-visual works, namely, motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, music, and podcasts, in the fields of news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; rental of video games; production and distribution of video and computer game software; providing blogs in the nature of an online journal over the Internet featuring current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos.”
Registrant’s goods and services are
· “series of prerecorded compact discs all containing music”;
· “musical sound recordings”;
· “Phonograph records featuring music and movies; Digital media, namely, pre-recorded audio and video cassettes, digital video discs, digital versatile discs, downloadable audio and video recordings and DVDs featuring music, movies and documentaries; Compact discs featuring music, movies and documentaries; Video discs featuring movies, music, documentaries; video game cartridges”;
· “Gaming devices, namely gaming machines and computer software used therewith to enable the gaming machine to run”;
· “game software”;
· “Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line computer games and game applications, enhancements within online computer games, and game applications within online computer games
· “Entertainment services, namely, music publishing services; record label services, namely, music songwriting, music recording and production services”; and
· “Providing a website featuring entertainment information in the field(s) of daily events”.
The attached evidence (discussed in detail below), from Blizzard, EA, Gamefly, Gogol Bordello, Lana Del Rey, League of Legends, Rooster Teeth, Sony and Universal establishes that compared the goods and services are provided (i) by the same entity and marketed under the same mark, or (ii) through the same channels of trade to the same classes of consumers for the same purpose.
Broadly, the same audiovisual content, including music, video, audio, and game software is provided under the same mark through various media, such as CD, DVD, vinyl, digital download, and digital streaming.
The attached Internet evidence from Blizzard (and TV Guide), League of Legends, and Rooster Teeth establishes that the same entity commonly provides video and computer games in hard copy, digital download, and online, and produces and distributes video games, all under the same mark. These companies also provide information, TV programming, videos, and blogs under the same mark.
The attached evidence from Gamefly shows that the same entity sells and rents games, movie, TV show, and videos to the same class of consumers through the same channel of trade and for the same purpose. The attached evidence from EA shows that the same entity offers video games online, downloadable and physical video games, and video game rental service, all under the same mark.
The attached evidence from Gogol Bordello and Lana Del Rey shows that DVDs, CDs, “phonographs” featuring music and videos, as well as websites featuring entertainment and music news and information and audio-visual content and music are all offered by the same entity and under the same mark. Further, the same audiovisual content and music is provided via digital download or non-downloadable playback. Additionally, Sony also provides gaming consoles.
The attached evidence from Sony and Universal shows that (i) the same entity offers movies, music, videos, TV programming, and other audiovisual content online and as physical recordings, (i) provides, distributes, and publishes such content, and (iii) provides information regarding news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos.
This evidence also shows that entertainment information about daily events is provided along with information about motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music.
Thus, applicant’s and registrants’ goods and/or services are considered related for likelihood of confusion purposes. See, e.g., In re Davey Prods. Pty Ltd., 92 USPQ2d 1198, 1202-04 (TTAB 2009); In re Toshiba Med. Sys. Corp., 91 USPQ2d 1266, 1268-69, 1271-72 (TTAB 2009).
Conclusion
Due to the similarity of the marks and the relatedness of the goods and services, there is a likelihood of confusion between the applied-for mark and registered marks. Accordingly, registration is refused under Section 2(d) of the Trademark Act.
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, applicant must also respond to the requirements set forth below.
AMENDED IDENTIFICATION OF SERVICES REQUIRED
For example, “entertainment” as a subject matter for audio visual content or publications is indefinite because entertainment is the purpose of these services, rather than the actual subject matter. Applicant may further define the type of entertainment it is offering or delete this wording.
It is unclear if applicant offers rental of tangible goods, such as video tapes or CDs, or if applicant is providing tethered downloadable files featuring conditions restricting their use.
Additionally, it is unclear if “education and entertainment services, namely, providing, displaying, and showing live and pre-recorded audio-visual content in the fields of current event reporting, news, entertainment, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos” refers to a transmission service in Class 38, or a website service or a publishing service in Class 41.
The wording “production and distribution of video and computer game software” is indefinite and overbroad because the use of the term “distribution” make it is unclear if applicant is offering a goods transportation service in Class 39, or an online publishing service in Class 41.
Applicant must also specify the format of the content provided online, as downloadable music and audiovisual content is in Class 9 and downloadable music and audiovisual content is in Class 41.
Applicant may substitute the following wording, if accurate (suggestions in bold):
CLASS 9: Downloadable audio-visual recordings in the fields of current event reporting, news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; downloadable video and computer game software;
CLASS 41: Education and entertainment services, namely, providing online non-downloadable live and pre-recorded video in the fields of current event reporting, news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; Education and entertainment services, namely, multimedia publishing of live and pre-recorded video in the fields of current event reporting, news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; providing a website featuring non-downloadable live and pre-recorded audio-visual content, specifically, motion pictures, television programming, videos, and video clips, audio clips, and film clips, all in the fields of current event reporting, news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; providing a website featuring non-downloadable live and prerecorded audio visual content, specifically, music videos, music, music clips, and photographs; providing a website featuring non-downloadable video and interactive games; providing interactive online games; providing online information via wireless networks, the Internet, and global, regional, and local computer networks, on the subjects of motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music; providing online non-downloadable interactive resource and programming guides on the subjects of motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, and music tailored to viewer's programming preferences; electronic publishing services, namely, online publication of text, graphics, photographs, images, and audio-visual works of others for streaming or downloading, featuring current event reporting, news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; production and distribution of audio-visual works, namely, motion pictures, television programming, videos, music videos, music, and podcasts, for streaming or downloading in the fields of current event reporting, news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; rental of audio-visual works that may be downloaded from an internet website, namely, motion pictures, videos featuring television programs, videos, music videos, and musical and podcast recordings, in the fields of news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos; rental of video games; production and publishing of video and computer game software; providing blogs in the nature of an online journal over the Internet featuring current event reporting, news, sports, comedy, drama, music, and music videos.
For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual. See TMEP §1402.04.
MULTIPLE-CLASS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
(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).
See an overview of the requirements for a Section 1(b) multiple-class application and how to satisfy the requirements online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form.
RESPONSE TO OFFICE ACTION
How to respond. Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action.
/Jillian Michaud-King/
Examining Attorney
Law Office 122
571.272.5153
jillian.michaud-king@uspto.gov
RESPONSE GUIDANCE
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.