Brand Management & Trademark Protection: The Basics under US Law

I.             Priority

A.           Who used the mark first???

·   Senior user has the right to sue junior users for infringement.

·   Mark must be “used” in commerce to have priority.

1.            Must be used publicly as a source of origin for goods or services.

2.            Cannot be solely an internal use.

v    Clorox Co. v. Salazar, 108 USPQ2d 1083 (TTAB 2013) (CLOROX vs. CLOROTEC; use of the mark on parts shipped from a manufacturer to trademark applicant was not “use” in commerce creating trademark rights).