The Chicago Tribune yesterday ran a piece on the USOC’s enforcement efforts over there. In summary, it’s pretty much the same heavy-handed story we’ve experienced over here.
Case in point: Olympic Meat Packers Inc., which after 40 years changed its name to “Olympia Meat Packers” to avoid a USOC suit. Owner George Tsoukas says he forgets his new name when he answers the phone.
“My customers, they hang up on me and they think it’s a different business,” he says. “I’m so used to ‘Olympic Meat’ … and it’s so hard for me to remember ‘Olympia.’”
I’m surprised the USOC ok’d “Olympia” as an alternative name. Good for them, though one wonders why they demanded a name change at all.
The article includes a short quote from me, saying: “It’s just not fair that the USOC can be casual about its demands when it has such a large impact on the business that has to change its name.”
The article also cites Chicago IP Litigation Blogger David Donoghue for his suggestion that businesses do a trademark search before becoming too wedded to a name.
That’s great advice. It’s a lot easier to pick a new trademark before signs are made, domain names are registered, and customers get used to your name.