manager

Free for all or just for Munich – OKTOBERFEST

Free for all or just for Munich – OKTOBERFEST

There are 2,054 folk festivals in the world called OKTOBERFEST. The oldest, largest and most famous is, of course, the Oktoberfest in Munich. So it is understandable that the city wanted to trade-mark the name of its own festival within the European Union. However, many other organisers have seen this as a threat to the identical names of their own festivals, leading them to fight the registration of the trade mark for Munich. Have they been successful?

Please read on

Protective lifestyle brand? – BACK-2-NATURE

Protective lifestyle brand? – BACK-2-NATURE

Developing a protectable lifestyle brand is not easy. On the one hand, it should convey a clear message that benefits the company. On the other hand, it should be able to be protected as a trade mark. In practice, it is a balancing act! The case below provides some guidance.

Please read on

Increasing sales through cultural brands? – NEUSCHWANSTEIN

Increasing sales through cultural brands? – NEUSCHWANSTEIN

A cultural institution may try to position its unique structure as a cultural brand within the framework of cultural marketing. Strong cultural brands attract a lot of attention and engender particularly positive images. Customers, business partners and sponsors can form a quick connection with such brands and images. Is it possible to harness the power of cultural brands for the benefit of a variety of businesses?

Please read on

Prosecution of managers – brand violation by employees

Prosecution of managers – brand violation by employees

You are a managing director in Germany and are provided with information about a business set up by one of your departments. You assume your management responsibility in relation to the project. Could you become liable to prosecution, should the business be used to commit trade mark infringement? The following copyright case is an example of the legal situation in German trade mark law.

Please read on