STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE APPLICANT’S COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE BELOW.

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 5/5/2016

The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney. Applicant must respond timely and completely to the issue(s) below. 15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(a), 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.

SUMMARY OF ISSUES

Section 2(c) Name of Living Individual Refusal
Request for Information Requirement
Identification and Classification of Services Requirement

SEARCH OF OFFICE’S DATABASE OF MARKS

The trademark examining attorney has searched the Office’s database of registered and pending marks and has found no conflicting marks that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d). TMEP §704.02; see 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).

SECTION 2(c) NAME OF LIVING INDIVIDUAL REFUSAL

Registration is refused because the applied-for mark consists of or comprises a name, portrait, or signature identifying a particular living individual whose written consent to register the mark is not of record. Trademark Act Section 2(c), 15 U.S.C. §1052(c); TMEP §1206; see In re Nieves & Nieves LLC, 113 USPQ2d 1639, 1649-50 (TTAB 2015); In re Hoefflin, 97 USPQ2d 1174, 1175-76 (TTAB 2010).

For purposes of Section 2(c), a name in a mark identifies a particular living individual if the person bearing the name will be associated with the mark as used on the goods or services because: (1) “the person is so well known that the public would reasonably assume a connection between the person and the goods or services;” or (2) the individual is publicly connected with the business in which the mark is used.” In re Nieves & Nieves LLC, 113 USPQ2d 1639, 1650 (TTAB 2015); see In re Hoefflin, 97 USPQ2d 1174, 1175-76 (TTAB 2010); Krause v. Krause Publ’ns, Inc., 76 USPQ2d 1904, 1909-10 (TTAB 2005). Here the mark DRUMPF refers to Donald Trump. Please see attached third party websites showing the term DRUMPF referencing Donald Trump:

Donald John Trump is an American real estate developer, television personality, business author, and political candidate. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization, and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. On June 16, 2015, Trump formally announced his candidacy for president of the United States in the 2016 election, seeking the nomination of the Republican Party. The proposed mark would be construed by the public as a reference to Mr. Trump. Please see the attached sampling of items retrieved via an internet search evidencing the public would recognize and understand the proposed mark as identifying Donald Trump. Additionally, Donald Trump has numerous nicknames and is referred to in a number of ways, including use of his first and last name. DRUMPF is a reference to Mr. Trump. Therefore, the general public would readily associate the applied-for mark, DRUMPF, with Donald Trump. Thus prospective purchasers would be likely to see the mark as a direct reference to Mr. Trump.

Section 2(c) applies not only to the full name of an individual, but also to any first name, surname, shortened name, pseudonym, stage name, title, or nickname that identifies a particular living individual. In re Nieves & Nieves LLC, 113 USPQ2d 1629, 1639 (TTAB 2015) (holding registration of the mark PRINCESS KATE barred under Section 2(c) in the absence of consent to register, because the mark “points uniquely and unmistakably to Kate Middleton,” the Duchess of Cambridge, whose identity is renowned); In re Hoefflin, 97 USPQ2d 1174, 1177-78 (TTAB 2010) (holding registration of the marks OBAMA PAJAMA, OBAMA BAHAMA PAJAMAS, and BARACK’S JOCKS DRESS TO THE LEFT barred under Section 2(c) in the absence of consent to register, because the marks create a direct association with President Barack Obama); In re Sauer, 27 USPQ2d 1073, 1074-75 (TTAB 1993) (holding registration of a mark containing BO, used in connection with a sports ball, barred under Section 2(c) in the absence of consent to register, because BO is the nickname of the well-known athlete BO JACKSON and thus use of the mark would lead to the assumption that he was associated with the goods), aff’d per curiam, 26 F.3d 140 (Fed. Cir. 1994). Here DRUMPF references Donald Trump.

Accordingly, because Donald Trump’s written consent is not of record, registration must be refused pursuant to Section 2(c) of the Trademark Act. To overcome this particular refusal, the applicant must submit written consent from both parties. This written consent must include a statement of Mr. Trump’s consent to applicant’s registration of the identifying matter as a trademark, and not just the party’s consent to permit applicant to use the mark. See Reed v. Bakers Eng’g & Equip. Co., 100 USPQ 196, 199 (PTO 1954). Trademark Act Section 2(c), 15 U.S.C. §1052(c ); TMEP §§813 and 1206 et seq.

Although applicant’s mark has been refused registration, applicant may respond to the refusal(s) by submitting evidence and arguments in support of registration.

If applicant responds to the refusal(s), applicant must also respond to the requirement(s) set forth below.

INFORMALITIES

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REQUIREMENT

To permit proper examination of the application, applicant must submit additional information about applicant’s services. See 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); In re AOP LLC, 107 USPQ2d 1644, 1650-51 (TTAB 2013); In re Cheezwhse.com, Inc., 85 USPQ2d 1917, 1919 (TTAB 2008); TMEP §§814, 1402.01(e). Specifically, applicant must respond to the following inquiry:

Does the term DRUMPF reference Donald Trump?

Factual information about the goods must clearly indicate how they operate, their salient features, and their prospective customers and channels of trade. Factual information about the services must clearly indicate what the services are and how they are rendered, their salient features, and their prospective customers and channels of trade. Conclusory statements will not satisfy this requirement for information.

Failure to comply with a request for information is grounds for refusing registration. In re AOP LLC, 107 USPQ2d at 1651 (citing In re Cheezwhse.com, Inc., 85 USPQ2d at 1919; In re DTI P’ship LLP, 67 USPQ2d 1699, 1701 (TTAB 2003); TMEP §814). Merely stating that information about the goods or services is available on applicant’s website is an insufficient response and will not make the relevant information of record. See In re Planalytics, Inc., 70 USPQ2d 1453, 1457-58 (TTAB 2004).

IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SERVICES REQUIREMENT

The identification of services is indefinite. See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §1402.01. Applicant must specify the common commercial or generic name for the services. If the services have no common commercial or generic name, applicant must describe the nature of the services as well as their main purpose, channels of trade, and the intended consumer(s).

The current wording used to describe the services needs clarification because of the following:

“Provision of a website featuring multimedia content,” is indefinite as it may include services in more than one international class.

Applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate (changes are in bold):

Class 041: Provision of a website featuring multimedia content, namely, entertainment services in the nature of development, creation, production and post-production services of multimedia entertainment content

Applicant’s goods and/or services may be clarified or limited, but may not be expanded beyond those originally itemized in the application or as acceptably amended. See 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §1402.06. Applicant may clarify or limit the identification by inserting qualifying language or deleting items to result in a more specific identification; however, applicant may not substitute different goods and/or services or add goods and/or services not found or encompassed by those in the original application or as acceptably amended. See TMEP §1402.06(a)-(b). The scope of the goods and/or services sets the outer limit for any changes to the identification and is generally determined by the ordinary meaning of the wording in the identification. TMEP §§1402.06(b), 1402.07(a)-(b). Any acceptable changes to the goods and/or services will further limit scope, and once goods and/or services are deleted, they are not permitted to be reinserted. TMEP §1402.07(e).

For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual. See TMEP §1402.04.

TEAS PLUS OR TEAS REDUCED FEE (TEAS RF) APPLICANTS – TO MAINTAIN LOWER FEE, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET, INCLUDING SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE: Applicants who filed their application online using the lower-fee TEAS Plus or TEAS RF application form must (1) file certain documents online using TEAS, including responses to Office actions (see TMEP §§819.02(b), 820.02(b) for a complete list of these documents); (2) maintain a valid e-mail correspondence address; and (3) agree to receive correspondence from the USPTO by e-mail throughout the prosecution of the application. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.22(b), 2.23(b); TMEP §§819, 820. TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants who do not meet these requirements must submit an additional processing fee of $50 per international class of goods and/or services. 37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(v), 2.22(c), 2.23(c); TMEP §§819.04, 820.04. However, in certain situations, TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants may respond to an Office action by authorizing an examiner’s amendment by telephone without incurring this additional fee.

/Kapil K. Bhanot/

Examining Attorney

Law Office 108

571.270.1516

kapil.bhanot@uspto.gov

TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER: Go to http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp. Please wait 48-72 hours from the issue/mailing date before using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), to allow for necessary system updates of the application. For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov. For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney. E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to this Office action by e-mail.

All informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.

WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE: It must be personally signed by an individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind an applicant (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint applicants). If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the response.

PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION: To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.uspto.gov/. Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen. If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or call 1-800-786-9199. For more information on checking status, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/.

TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS: Use the TEAS form at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.

To:	Drumpf Industries, LLC (tmdocketny@kenyon.com)
Subject:	U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 86921166 - DRUMPF - N/A
Sent:	5/5/2016 9:47:26 AM
Sent As:	ECOM108@USPTO.GOV
Attachments:	Attachment - 1 Attachment - 2 Attachment - 3 Attachment - 4 Attachment - 5 Attachment - 6 Attachment - 7 Attachment - 8 Attachment - 9 Attachment - 10 Attachment - 11 Attachment - 12