EDITOR’S NOTE The 'Google doodle'


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ISSN 2049-2359 (Print) Cover image: shutterstock.com


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Visit Google’s home page and you’re likely to see a fluid trademark. On the day of writing, flowers sit where each ‘o’ from the ‘Google’ sign should be, while a robin red-breast perches on the ‘g’. Known as the ‘doodle’, Google’s ever-changing logo is one of the most-recognised fluid marks, which are providing a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stale world of IP.


One of the striking things about a fluid trademark is that, perhaps more than conventional names or logos, it can act as an excellent marketing tool. But while their novelty will be welcomed by marketers, the lack of hard-and-fast legal rules on protecting them (under copyright and design law as well) can give IP owners a headache. As we find out, this is a fascinating area of IP from many angles.


We then look at a potentially ground-breaking case between Cartier, the jeweller, and Nominet, the registry for .uk domain names. Cartier is seeking an order that would allow brand owners to bypass standard procedures for determining who owns a domain—looking it up on Whois—and instead force Nominet to take down suspected IP-infringing websites. Te case exposes a debate over the role of domain registries: are they intermediaries, and should they police the internet? We explore the arguments.


Elsewhere, we report on the many IP issues surrounding social media, as well as file-sharing service Dropbox and cloud computing technology. We also consider what lies in store for ICANN in the post-US government era, while Brand Finance, a company that compiles an annual list of the world’s top brands, provides an insight into its rankings and methodology.


As usual, you will find news and industry analysis in this edition of TBO, not to mention our regular Snapshot feature. We hope you enjoy it all.


Ed Conlon, editor EDITORIAL PANEL


Ben Allgrove, partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP Safir Anand, partner, Anand & Anand Edward Chatterton, partner, DLA Piper Elisa Cooper, senior director of product marketing, MarkMonitor Stuart Fuller, director of communications, NetNames David Green, head of global digital marketing, KPMG Marie-Emmanuelle Haas, head of the Internet committee, ECTA Brett Heavner, partner, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP Susan Kayser, partner, Jones Day Roland LaPlante, chief marketing officer, Afilias Igor Motsnyi, partner, Motsnyi Legal Services Gretchen Olive, director of policy & industry affairs, CSC Digital Brand Services John Olsen, partner, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Flip Petillion, partner, Crowell & Moring LLP Adam Rendle, associate, Taylor Wessing LLP Kristina Rosette, of counsel, Covington & Burling LLP Bob Samuelson, vice president of sales and marketing, Donuts Inc David Taylor, partner, Hogan Lovells International LLP Stéphane Van Gelder, managing director, Milathan David Weslow, partner, Wiley Rein LLP Catherine Wolfe, partner, Boult Wade Tennant Nick Wood, managing director, Valideus


Trademarks & Brands Online Volume 3, Issue 2 3


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