Office Depot The Latest To Misunderstand Trademark Law
from the let's-try-this-again-for-the-slow-folks dept
Stories about companies getting upset over Google text ads on their name are nothing new. However, this latest case is slightly different in a few important ways. Office Depot is suing Staples for taking out Google text ads on the name of a brand they're shutting down in the US. This seems like a totally legitimate way to try to get new business. People looking for Viking Office products probably would be interested in Staple's alternatives. However, Office Depot is upset that the Staple's ad seems to imply Viking is disappearing completely, which isn't true outside of the US. That seems like a bit of nitpicking, but which could be solved in the ads were limited to the US. What's more interesting, though, is that almost all previous lawsuits around this issue involved the complaining company suing Google rather than the advertiser in question. In this case, the suit is against Staples -- which is at least a small step in the right direction (whether or not the case has merit). Of course, Office Depot and Staples just settled a different lawsuit a few days ago -- so maybe both teams of lawyers just needed something new to fight over. Meanwhile, on the subject of trademark confusion in this space, has anyone figured out a way to tell Office Depot and Office Max apart?
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Office who?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
How to tell them apart...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: How to tell them apart...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Office Depot/Max
DUH! One is red. Right? ;)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: How to tell them apart...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: How to tell them apart...
I prefer an office super store that has plenty of locations near where actual business offices are located (ODP), rather than one placed mostly near shopping malls (OMX) or near grocery stores & warehouse Costco centers (STAPLES).
location location location...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: How to tell them apart...
Office Max = more expensive
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: How to tell them apart...
Other tennants in the stripmall include a menswear store that keeps their doors locked at all times unless a shopper wants in or out. They have an armed guard standing at the door just like some jewelry stores. Guarding second rate suits.
The OMX is always empty of customers. Very typical OMX location, very typical store. Very typically not a place you want to be after dark.
Oh but there IS a worse Office Depot around here. It's next door to an adult toy storearmotel and a truck freight yard. I am not kidding. You absolutely do NOT want to be near that one after dark.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: How to tell them apart...
[ link to this | view in thread ]