The Japanese Patent Office has ruled in a dispute regarding a registered trademark for “BOND GIRL” written in a Japanese katakana character, for class 41 – arranging, conducting, and organization of seminars.
Against this mark an application for invalidation was filed by Danjaq, LLC as a holder of copyrights over characters from the well-known movies for James Bond.
According to Danjaq, LLC, the registered mark takes advantages of the popular character from the James Bond movies “BOND GIRL”.
The Patent Office invalidated the marks agreeing that the consumers in the country have been aware with this character since 1962. Apart from this “BOND GIRL” was used in many advertising and merchandising campaigns for which licenses were been given from the holder of the copyright.
What is interesting here is that the basis for the invalidation wasn’t confusion regarding the source of origin but a likelihood the mark to cause damage to public order or morality from registration.
Source: Masaki Mikami
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PLANET 