Post original: https://tinyurl.com/528krzkt
An epic trademark battle has begun:
Tootsie Roll (for candy) vs. Tooshie Roll (for toilet paper).
And no… I am not making this up.
The makers of Tootsie Roll have filed a « Notice of Opposition » to block a trademark application for TOOSHIE ROLL.
So why would they do this?
To protect the value of the TOOTSIE ROLL brand.
In the US, a company is not allowed to dilute the value of a famous brand by playing off its name.
(Technically, it is called « dilution by blurring. »)
The owners of the TOOSHIE ROLL trademark will likely lose this battle (should they choose to fight it).
Ultimately, this is another example of how a trademark clearance search can be helpful.
There are a lot of interesting « nooks and crannies » of federal trademark law, and you want to make sure the trademark you have selected does not violate some obscure rule you are not aware of.