I Don't Even Recognize You Anymore
The Limits of the Protection of Alteration and Modernisation of Fictitious Characters
Abstract
Traditional trade marks have become a rarity, widely replaced by more appealing means of market communication. Fueled by the CJEU's liberal jurisdiction, widening the subject matter eligible for trade mark protection, a whole new world of opportunity has opened up to advertisers.
The author adresses the question in-depth, whether a fictional character per se is eligible for trade mark protection. The topic is approached via Community and US-Supreme court jurisdiction. Furthermore, alternative means of protection via adjacent regimes are analysed. The author concludes with a thorough comparison and policy recommendations.
Zusammenfassung
Das klassische Bild der Marke, als schlichter Herstellername der als Herkunftszeichen von Produkten oder Dienstleistungen dient ist überholt. Angetrieben durch die liberale Rechtsprechung des EuGH, die den Schutzbereich auch auf nichtkonventionelle Zeichen ausdehnt, ergeben sich ungeahnte Möglichkeiten für neue Markenkategorien.
Der Autor stellt die Frage, ob, und wenn ja wie fiktive Charaktere an sich als Marken schutzfähig sind. Als Ausgangspunkt dient hierbei der Status Quo des Gemeinschaftsrechts und der jüngeren US-Amerikanischen Rechtsprechung. Überdies werden alternative Schutzmöglichkeiten auf Grundlage angrenzender Materien erörtert. Schließlich folgt eine vergleichende, dogmatische Analyse samt umfassender Empfehlungen an den Gesetzgeber.
In englischer Sprache.
- 14–15 I. Introduction 14–15
- Journal Articles/Reports
- 1. United States of America
- Robert G. Bone, Enforcement Costs and Trademark Puzzles, 90 Va. L. Rev. 2099 (2004). doi.org/10.2307/1515642
- Ralph Brown, Advertising and the Public Interest, Legal Protection of Trade Symbols, 57 Yale L.J. 1206 (1948). doi.org/10.2307/793310
- E. Fulton Brylawski, Protection of Characters – Sam Spade revisited, 22 Bull. Copyright Soc'y 77 (1974).
- Lee Burgunder, The Scoop on Betty Boop: A Proposal to Limit Overreaching Trademarks, 32 Loy. L.A. Ent. L. Rev. 257 (2011-2012).
- Lee Burgunder, Trademark Registration of Product Colours: Issues and Answers, 26 Santa Clara L.Rev. 581 (1986).
- Irene Calboli, The Case for a Limited Protection of Trademark Merchandising, 2011 U. Ill. L. Rev. 865 (2011).
- Graeme Dinwoodie, Trademark and Copyright: Complements or Competitors?, Proceedings of the ALAI Congress, June 13-17, 2001.
- Giselle Fahimian, How the IP Guerrillas Won: Trademark, Adbusters, Negativeland, and the "Bullying Back" of Creative Freedom and Social Commentary, 2004 Stan. Tech. L. Rev. 1 (2004).
- David B. Feldman, Finding a Home for Fictional Characters: A Proposal for Change in Copyright Protection, 78 Calif. L. Rev. 687 (1990). doi.org/10.2307/3480842
- Anne-Virginie Gaide, Copyright, Trademarks and Trade Dress: Overlap or Conflict for Cartoon Characters?, Proceedings of the ALAI Congress, June 13-17, 2001.
- Judith Garretson & Roland Niedrich, Spokes-Characters – Creating Character Trust and Positive Brand Attitudes, Journal of Advertising, volume 33, no. 2 (2004), 25-36.
- Benjamin A. Goldberger, How the “Summer of the Spinoff” Came to be: The Branding of Characters in American Mass Media, 23 Loy. L.A. Ent. L. Rev. 301 (2003).
- Paul Goldstein, The Competitive Mandate: From Sears to Lear, 59 Cal. L. Rev. 873 (1971). doi.org/10.2307/3479723
- Michael Todd Helfland, When Mickey Mouse Is as Strong as Superman: The Convergence of Intellectual Property Laws to Protect Fictional Literary and Pictorial Characters, 44 Stan. L. Rev. 623 (1992).
- Jennifer Konefal, Federal Trademark Law in an Uncertain State, 11 B.U. J. Sci. & Tech. L. 283 (2005).
- Leslie Kurtz, The Independent Legal Lives of Fictional Characters, 1986 Wis. L. Rev 429 (1986).
- William Landes & Richard Posner, The Economics of Trademark Law, 78 Trademark Rep. 267, 290 (1988).
- Jessica Litman, Breakfast with Batman: The Public Interest in the Advertising Age, 108 Yale L. J. 1717 (1999). doi.org/10.2307/797448
- Michael V. P. Marks, The Legal rights of Fictional Characters, 25 Copyright L. Symp. (ASCAP) 35 (1980).
- Beverly W. Pattishall, The Goose and the Egg – Some Comments about Trademark Modernization, 47 Trademark Rep. 801 (1957)
- Peter Shapiro, The Validity of Registered Trademarks for Titles and Characters After the Expiration of Copyright on the Underlying Work, 31 Copyright L. Symp. (ASCAP) 69.
- Preet K. Tummala, The Seinfeld Aptitude Test: An Analysis Under Substantial Similarity and the Fair Use Defense, 33 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 289 (1999).
- Franklin Waldheim, Mickey Mouse – Trademark or Copyright, 54 Trademark Rep. 865, (1964).
- 2. European Union
- Manoranjan Ayilyath, Character Merchandising and Personality Merchandising: The Need for Protection – An Analysis in the Light of UK & Indian Laws, Entertainment Law Review (Sweet & Maxwell, London) 23- 3 (2012).
- Ralph Graef, Die fiktive Figur im Urheberrecht [The Fictitious Character in Copyright Law], Zeitschrift für Urheber- und Medienrecht [ZUM] 2012, 108 (2012).
- Frank Huber, Kai Vollhardt & Frederick Meyer, Helden der Werbung? – Eine Untersuchung der Relevanz von Werbefiguren für das Konsumverhalten [Heroes of Advertisement? – Research on the Relevance of Spokes-Characters for Consumers' Behaviour], Marketing volume 31, no. 03, (2009). doi.org/10.15358/0344-1369-2009-3-183
- Annette Kur, Der wettbewerbliche Leistungsschutz – Gedanken zum wettbewerbsrechtlichen Schutz von Formgebungen, bekannten Marken und “Characters”[Protection under Competition Law – Thoughts on the Protection of Shapes, Famous Marks and Characters], GRUR 1990, 1.
- Frank Lotze, Markenmaskottchen – Warum wir bestimmte Werbefiguren nie vergessen [Spokescharacters – Why Certain Marketing Characters are Never Forgotten], Welt am Sonntag, Jul 22nd 2012.
- Ralf Mäder, Messung und Steuerung von Markenpersönlichkeit: Entwicklung eines Messinstruments und Anwendung in der Werbung mit prominenten Testimonials (Schriftenreihe des Instituts für Marktorientierte Unternehmensführung (IMU), Universität Mannheim), (2005).
- Matthias Meyer, Character Merchandising, Der Schutz fiktiver Figuren als Marke [Character Merchandising, the Protection of Fictitious Characters as Trade Marks], Europäische Hochschulschriften: Reihe 2, Rechtswissenschaft, volume 3668.
- OHIM – The Manual Concerning Opposition.
- Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council to Approximate the Laws of the Member States Relating to Trade marks, COM (2013) 162 final, 2013/0089 (COD), (proposed 2013).
- Heijo Ruijsenaars, Overview of the Legal Aspects of Merchandising in Character Merchandising in Europe (Heijo Ruijsenaars ed., 2003).
- Heijo Ruijsenaars, Workshop No. 6 – Character Merchandising, AIPPI Y.B. 1992/III, 348.
- Christian Scherz & Susanne Bergmann, Character Merchandising in Germany in Character Merchandising in Europe (Heijo Ruijsenaars ed., 2003), 127-143.
- Ilanah Simon, How does “Essential Function” Drive European Trade Mark Law? What is the Essential Function of a Trade Mark? 2005 IIC 401.
- Clemens Thiele, Urheberrechtlicher Schutz für Kunstfiguren – von Odysseus bis Lara Croft, (IRIS – Rechtliche Rundschau der europäischen, audiovisellen Informationsstelle), (2004).
- 3. International
- Heijo Ruijsenaars, The WIPO Report on Character Merchandising, Int'l. Rev. of Intell. Prop. and Competition Law [IIC] 1994, 532 (1994).
- World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Character Merchandising – Report prepared by the International Bureau, WO/INF/108 (1994).
- Treatises
- 1. United States of America
- Louis Altman & Mara Pollack, Callman on Unfair Competition, Trademarks and Monopolies (Thomson Reuthers 2013);
- Jerome Gilson, Anne Gilson Laldone & Karin Green, Gilson on Trademarks (83d ed., 2013).
- David Hilliard, Joseph Welch & Uli Widmaier, Trademarks and Unfair Competition (8 ed. 2010).
- William Landes & Rrichard Posner, The Economic Structure of Intellectual Property Law (Harvard University Press 2003).
- J. Thomas McCarthy, McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition (4th ed., 1996-2013).
- Horwitz, Ethan, World Trademark Law and Practice (2d ed., 1985-2013).
- 2. European Union
- Adams, John N., Character Merchandising (1996).
- 3. Germany
- Karl-Heinz Fezer, Markenrecht (4th ed. 2009).
- Thomas Dreier & Gernot Schulze, Urheberrechtsgesetz: UrhG, (4th ed., 2013).
- Friedrich Fromm & Wilhelm Nordemann, Urheberrecht (10 ed. 2008).
- Wolfgang Gloy, Michael Losschelder & Willi Edelmann, Handbuch des Wettbewerbsrechts (4 ed. 2010). doi.org/10.9785/ovs.9783504380786.99
- 4. International
- Georg Bodenhausen, Guide to the Application of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (BIRPI 1969).
- Paul Goldstein & P. Berndt Hugenholtz, International Copyright: Principles, Law and Practice (2d ed. 2010).