TRADE MARK TRIBULATIONS

Mellow yellow

Heise Online reports that the Deutsche Telekon has lost the trade mark right to "Gelbe Seiten" and "Yellow Pages". After a two-year battle, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office has found that the signs are descriptive. This is problematic for the company, which is pursuing various users of the term through the courts.

The IPKat wonders how the mark will be viewed in other counties of the EU.

No ifs, no butts

Here's the image of Zidane applied for as a trade mark and reported by the IPKat on 4 August.

Is the applicant violating Zindane’s performer’s rights the IPKat wonders? (And do footballers have performer’s rights in their on-pitch antics?)