Stayhealthy, Inc.Download PDFTrademark Trial and Appeal BoardSep 30, 202088242849 (T.T.A.B. Sep. 30, 2020) Copy Citation This Opinion is not a Precedent of the TTAB Mailed: September 30, 2020 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE _____ Trademark Trial and Appeal Board _____ In re Stayhealthy, Inc. _____ Serial No. 88242849 _____ Timothy J. Zarley, for Stayhealthy, Inc. Ahsen Khan, Trademark Examining Attorney, Law Office 113, Myriah Habeeb, Managing Attorney. _____ Before Taylor, Lykos and Greenbaum, Administrative Trademark Judges. Opinion by Taylor, Administrative Trademark Judge: Stayhealthy (“Applicant”) seeks registration on the Principal Register of the mark MAGIC COLOR (in standard characters) for “Downloadable computer software for digital coloring books including a wellness education element embedded in the coloring activity” in International Class 9.1 At the request of the Examining Attorney, Applicant disclaimed the word COLOR. 1 Application Serial No. 88242849 was filed on December 27, 2018, based upon Applicant’s allegation of a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce under Section 1(b) of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051(b). Serial No. 88242849 - 2 - The Trademark Examining Attorney has refused registration of Applicant’s mark on the ground that it is likely to cause confusion, mistake, or deception under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. § 1052(d), with the mark on the Principal Register in Registration No. 4841982, MAGICOLOR, for “Children’s coloring sets consisting essentially of paper, coloring books and markers; arts and crafts paper kits; children’s activity books; stickers; sticker books; art paper; coloring books; markers; writing implements containing invisible ink” in International Class 16.2 When the refusal was made final, Applicant appealed and requested reconsideration. After the Examining Attorney denied the request for reconsideration, the appeal was resumed. We affirm. I. Applicable Law Section 2(d) of the Trademark Act prohibits registration of a mark that so resembles a registered mark as to be likely, when used on or in connection with the goods or services of the applicant, to cause confusion, mistake, or deception. 15 U.S.C. § 1052(d). Our determination of likelihood of confusion under Section 2(d) is based on an analysis of all probative facts in the record that are relevant to the likelihood of confusion factors set forth in In re E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 177 USPQ 563, 567 (CCPA 1973). We must consider each DuPont factor for which there is evidence and argument. See, e.g., In re Guild Mortg. Co., 912 F.3d 1376, 129 USPQ2d 1160, 1162-63 (Fed. Cir. 2019). In any likelihood of confusion analysis, two key considerations are the similarities between the marks and the similarities 2 Issued October 27, 2015. Serial No. 88242849 - 3 - between the goods. See Federated Foods, Inc. v. Fort Howard Paper Co., 544 F.2d 1098, 192 USPQ 24 (CCPA 1976). We discuss below these and other factors. See In re Guild Mortg., 129 USPQ2d at 1162-63 (Board considers each DuPont factor for which there is evidence and argument). A. The Marks Under the first DuPont factor, we determine the similarity or dissimilarity of Applicant’s mark and the mark in the cited registration in their entireties, taking into account their appearance, sound, connotation and commercial impression. DuPont, 177 USPQ at 567; Stone Lion Capital Partners, LP v. Lion Capital LLP, 746 F.3d 1317, 110 USPQ2d 1157, 1160 (Fed. Cir. 2014); Palm Bay Imps. v. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Maison Fondee En 1772, 396 F.3d 1369, 73 USPQ2d 1689, 1692 (Fed. Cir. 2005) “Similarity in any one of these elements may be sufficient to find the marks confusingly similar.” In re Inn at St. John’s, 126 USPQ2d at 1746. Accord Krim-Ko Corp. v. Coca-Cola Bottling Co., 390 F.2d 728, 156 USPQ 523, 526 (CCPA 1968) (“It is sufficient if the similarity in either form, spelling or sound alone is likely to cause confusion.”) (citation omitted)). “The proper test is not a side-by-side comparison of the marks, but instead ‘whether the marks are sufficiently similar in terms of their commercial impression’ such that persons who encounter the marks would be likely to assume a connection between the parties.” Coach Servs., Inc. v. Triumph Learning LLC, 668 F.3d 1356, 101 USPQ2d 1713, 1721 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (citation omitted). The emphasis of our analysis must be on the recollection of the Serial No. 88242849 - 4 - average purchaser who normally retains a general, rather than specific, impression of trademarks. Applicant’s mark is MAGIC COLOR in standard characters. Registrant’s mark is MAGICOLOR, also in standard characters. The marks are virtually identical, the only differences between them being that Applicant’s mark includes a space between the words MAGIC and COLOR, whereas Registrant’s mark is a telescoped term. The removal of the space between the terms and the sharing of the letter “C” in the cited mark is essentially irrelevant because the marks still convey the same commercial impression, of magical color. See, e.g., In re Omaha Nat’l, 819 F.2d 1117, 2 USPQ2d 1859 (Fed. Cir. 1989) (FIRSTIER found to be the telescoped equivalent of “first tier”). Applicant’s adding a space and a second letter “C” barely change the appearance or sound of the marks, and thus they are highly similar, indeed almost identical, in appearance, sound, connotation and commercial impression. Notably, Applicant’s brief is silent on this issue. This DuPont factor therefore not only weighs heavily in favor of finding a likelihood of confusion, but also reduces the degree of similarity between the goods required to support a finding of likelihood of confusion. In re Shell Oil Co., 992 F.2d 1204, 26 USPQ2d 1687, 1689 (Fed. Cir. 1993); Time Warner Entm’t Co. v. Jones, 65 USPQ2d 1650, 1661 (TTAB 2002); and In re Opus One Inc., 60 USPQ2d 1812, 1815 (TTAB 2001). B. Relatedness of the Goods We now turn to a comparison of the goods under the second DuPont factor. In making our determination regarding the relatedness of the goods, we must look to Serial No. 88242849 - 5 - the goods as identified in Applicant’s application and the cited registration. See In re Detroit Athletic Co., 903 F.3d 1297, 128 USPQ2d 1047, 1052 (Fed. Cir. 2018); In re Dixie Rest. Inc., 41 USPQ2d at 1534; see also Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Packard Press Inc., 281 F.3d 1261, 62 USPQ2d 1001 (Fed. Cir. 2002). “This factor considers whether ‘the consuming public may perceive [the respective goods of the parties] as related enough to cause confusion about the source or origin of the goods and services.’” In re St. Helena Hosp., 774 F.3d 747, 113 USPQ2d 1082, 1086 (Fed. Cir. 2014). Evidence of relatedness may include news articles and/or evidence from computer databases showing that the relevant goods are used together or used by the same purchasers; advertisements showing that the relevant goods are advertised together or sold by the same manufacturer or dealer; and/or copies of prior use-based registrations of the same mark for both applicant’s goods and the goods listed in the cited registration. See, e.g., In re Davia, 110 USPQ2d 1810, 1817 (TTAB 2014) (finding pepper sauce and agave related where evidence showed both were used for the same purpose in the same recipes and thus consumers were likely to purchase the products at the same time and in the same stores). The issue is not whether purchasers would confuse the goods, but rather whether there is a likelihood of confusion as to the source of these goods. L’Oreal S.A. v. Marcon, 102 USPQ2d 1434, 1439 (TTAB 2012); In re Rexel Inc., 223 USPQ 830, 832 (TTAB 1984). Applicant’s goods are identified as “downloadable computer software for digital coloring books including a wellness education element embedded in the coloring activity” and Registrant’s goods are identified as “Children’s coloring sets consisting Serial No. 88242849 - 6 - essentially of paper, coloring books and markers; arts and crafts paper kits; children’s activity books; stickers; sticker books; art paper; coloring books; markers; writing implements containing invisible ink.” We initially observe that, as identified, the broadly worded “coloring books” in the cited registration and Applicant’s “downloadable computer software for digital coloring books including a wellness education element embedded in the coloring activity,” are related to the extent that they may be used by the same purchaser for the same coloring activity. That they are in different formats, i.e., print vs. digital, does not alter our finding. Moreover, because Registrant’s identified “coloring books” are not limited by subject matter, they would include all types of coloring books, including those featuring wellness education. We find unavailing Applicant’s arguments that, as identified, its goods are “software which permits an individual to color in a digital format, and … not a digital coloring book.” As stated, and acknowledged by Applicant, we are constrained to consider the goods as they are identified in the application. See e.g., Detroit Athletic Co., 128 USPQ2d 1047 at 1052. Here, the identification reads “downloadable computer software for digital coloring books, and not “software that permits an individual to color in digital format.” An applicant may not restrict the scope of its goods or the scope of the goods covered in the cited registration by extrinsic argument or evidence. See, e.g., In re Midwest Gaming & Entertainment LLC, 106 USPQ2d 1163, 1165 (TTAB 2013); In re La Peregrina Ltd., 86 USPQ2d 1645, 1647 (TTAB 2008); In re Bercut-Vandervoort & Co., 229 USPQ 763, 764-65 (TTAB 1986). Serial No. 88242849 - 7 - Moreover, “where the goods in an application or registration are broadly described, they are deemed to encompass ‘all the goods of the nature and type described therein . . . .’” See e.g., In re Solid State Design Inc., 125 USPQ2d 1409, 1412-15 (TTAB 2018) and Sw. Mgmt., Inc. v. Ocinomled, Ltd., 115 USPQ2d 1007, 1025 (TTAB 2015). Applicant inappropriately seeks to limit the findings in Solid State and Sw. Mgmt. v. Ocinomled to the specific category of goods at issue in those cases. These cases, however, stand for the general proposition that “where the goods in an application or registration are broadly described, they are deemed to encompass ‘all the goods of the nature and type described therein . . . .’” Solid State, 125 USPQ at 1413 (citing In re Jump Designs LLC, 80 USPQ2d 1370, 1374 (TTAB 2006); Sw. Mgmt., Inc. v. Ocinomled, Ltd., 115 USPQ2d at 1025 (same)). The Examining Attorney also made of record third-party website excerpts showing use of one or more of the goods identified in Applicant’s application and use of goods similar to those in the cited registration emanating from the same source, under the same mark. For example: Crayola offers downloadable coloring books and as well as arts and crafts kits under the Crayola mark on the same e-commerce website;3 Doodle Art Alley offers both digital and print coloring books under the Doodle Art Alley on the same e-commerce website;4 3 February 25, 2019 Office Action; TSDR 7-8 and 18-23 (https://www.crayola.com/digital and https://shop.crayola.com/featured/craft-material-kits). 4 Id. at TSDR 9-10 (http://www.doodle-art-alley.com/doodle-art-alley-books.html). Serial No. 88242849 - 8 - Art is Fun offers digital and print coloring books are offered under the Design Originals brand on the same e-commerce website;5 and Disney offers both digital and print coloring books.6 The Examining Attorney also made of record webpages from Amazon.com and Barnesandnobles.com showing that the same coloring books may be offered in both digital and print format, e.g., “The Anatomy Coloring Book,”7 “Foodies Fancy Food” coloring book8 and the “Activity Weather Books for Kids Ages 4-8,”9 and are available for purchase on the Amazon website as both an e-Book through Kindle and in Paperback format; and Barnes & Noble offers “Hillary: The Coloring Book” in eBook (digital) format.10 As further support that the goods are related, the Examining Attorney made of record eight use-based third party registrations showing parties offering both coloring books and electronic books or software used to read books emanating from the same source, under the same mark.11 The registrations are excerpted below: 5 Id. at TSDR 11-17 (https://www.art-is-fun.com/coloring-books). 6 April 9, 2020 Denial of Request for Reconsideration; TSDR 31-35 and 37 (http://omgfacts.com/disney-just-released-a-digital-coloring-book-for-adults/); and (https://www.amazon.com/Disney-coloring-book/s?k=Disney+coloring+book). 7 September 12, 2019 Final Office Action; TSDR 31-40. 8 Id. at TSDR 41. 9 April 9, 2020 Denial of Request for Reconsideration; TSDR 38 (https://www.amazon.com/Inspiration-Creativity-Books-1-3-ebook). 10 Id. at TSDR 51-55. 11 Denial of Request for Reconsideration; TSDR 4-30. The registrations may include additional goods and/or services. Serial No. 88242849 - 9 - Registration No. Mark Relevant Goods 5450940 ROBOT RUNWAY Downloadable e-books in the field of art, fashion, musical, comedic and theatrical entertainment (Class 9) and coloring books (Class 16) 5897622 PURPOSE THE PENGUIN e-books featuring children’s educational and entertainment content (Class 9) and coloring books (Class 16) 5766620 REWIRED Downloadable e-books in the fields of addiction treatment, health and wellness, and self- improvement (Class 09) and coloring books (Class 16) 5760976 FIGURES IN MOTION Downloadable non-fiction e-books on a variety of topics (Class 09) and Children’s activity books; Children’s books; Coloring books (Class 16) 5726370 ROUTE 27 PUBLISHING (Publishing disclaimed) Downloadable non-fiction e-books on a variety of topics (Class 09) and Coloring books; Coloring books for adults (Class 16) 5928419 TRUTH BECOMES HER downloadable e-books, all featuring stories; digital media, namely, video recordings, CDs, DVDs, downloadable multimedia files, and downloadable e- books, all featuring stories for children about the Bible; electronic books featuring religion and children’s stories Serial No. 88242849 - 10 - Registration No. Mark Relevant Goods recorded on computer media (Class 09) and children’s books; coloring books (Class 16) 5980835 BROTHER FRANCIS Downloadable e-books in the field of religious stories, teachings and principles for educating, entertaining and learning (Class 09) and Coloring books; Coloring books for adults (Class 16) 5948315 CALIVANIA Downloadable electronic books, magazines, periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, journals and articles, all in the fields of music and entertainment (Class 09) and Coloring books (Class 16) As a general proposition, although use-based third-party registrations alone are not evidence that the marks shown therein are in use or that the public is familiar with them, they nonetheless may have probative value to the extent they may serve to suggest that the goods are of a kind that emanate from a single source. See In re Infinity Broad. Corp., 60 USPQ2d 1214, 1217-18 (TTAB 2001); In re Albert Trostel & Sons Co., 29 USPQ2d 1783, 1785-86 (TTAB 1993); In re Mucky Duck Mustard Co., Inc., 6 USPQ2d 1467, 1470 n.6 (TTAB 1988). The third-party use and registration evidence sufficiently demonstrates that the broadly worded “coloring books” in the cited registration and Applicant’s “downloadable computer software for digital coloring books including a wellness Serial No. 88242849 - 11 - education element embedded in the coloring activity” are commercially related in that often emanate from the same source, under the same mark. The record also shows the availability of the same coloring book and activity books in both downloadable (digital) format and in print. Cf. On-line Careline Inc. v. America Online Inc., 229 F.3d 1080, 56 USPQ2d 1471 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (holding ON-LINE TODAY for Internet connection services and ONLINE TODAY for an electronic publication likely to cause confusion). Indeed, two articles confirm the trend toward optional downloadable software (digital) book formats. An article from Scholastic Parents titled “E-Books vs. Print: What Parents Need to Know” notes that “E-books are becoming a more popular choice among kids, but is high-tech as good as print for the youngest readers?”12 and an article from naeye® titled “Getting Smarter About E-Books for Children” states “Children’s books captivate young children, and teachers love to see kids engrossed in their pages. But what if that book is an e-book” Does that change the equation?” and discusses the pros and cons of the different formats.13 We do not find, as Applicant suggests, the evidence to be insufficient. Pointing to In re Coors Brewing Co., 343 F.3d 1340, 68 USPQ2d 1059 (Fed. Cir. 2003), and unsupported assertions as to the size of the publishing and software industries,14 12 September 12, 2019 Final Office Action; TSDR 6-12. (https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/reading-resources/developing- reading-skills/e-books-vs-print-what-parents-need-to-know.html). 13 Id. at 13-30 (https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2016/ebooks-for-children). 14 Applicant raised this argument for the first time in its brief and apparently sought to support it with materials from various hyperlinks embedded in its brief. We decline to consider the untimely evidence, and regardless, the Board has “made clear that providing hyperlinks to Internet materials is insufficient to make such materials of record.” In re Powermat Inc., 105 USPQ2d 1789, 1791 (TTAB 2013) (citing In re HSB Solomon Assocs. LLC, Serial No. 88242849 - 12 - Applicant particularly argues that there are only a “handful” of references showing companies that offer both “coloring sets” and “provide downloadable software for coloring.” Applicant’s br. p. 5-6.15 Applicant’s reliance on Coors is misplaced. Unlike in those cases where the analysis under the second DuPont factor focused on the relationship between goods (food and beverages) on the one hand and services (restaurant services) on the other, here we are comparing goods to goods. “Something more” is only required in the context of comparing goods versus services, not goods versus goods, and where the relationship between the goods and services is obscure or less evident. See In re St. Helena Hosp., 113 USPQ2d at 1087. Such is not the case here where we are comparing two different products and not goods versus services. In this case, for the reasons discussed above, we find the evidence of record sufficient to show the goods sufficiently similar for purposes of our likelihood of confusion analysis. In view thereof, the second DuPont factor favors a finding of likelihood of confusion. C. Channels of Trade/Classes of Consumers We now consider the established, likely-to-continue channels of trade and classes of consumers, the third DuPont factor. We base our determination regarding the 102 USPQ2d 1269, 1274 (TTAB 2012) (“a reference to a website’s internet address is not sufficient to make the content of that website or any pages from that website of record.”)). 15 7 TTABVUR 7-8. Serial No. 88242849 - 13 - channels of trade and classes of purchasers on the goods as they are identified in the application and the cited registration. Octocom Sys., Inc. v. Hous. Comput. Servs. Inc., 918 F.2d 937, 16 USPQ2d 1783, 1787 (Fed. Cir. 1990). Applicant’s application and the cited registration contain no limitation as to channels of trade or classes of purchasers, and we decline to read any such limitation into them. Squirtco v. Tomy Corp., 697 F.2d 1030, 216 USPQ 937, 940 (Fed. Cir. 1983). Because there are no restrictions in either the application or cited registration, we must assume that the classes of consumers for would include, children, the parent buyer, as well as an adult purchaser in search of a wellness tool. In addition, the record evidence detailed earlier shows that both digital and print coloring books are offered side-by-side to the same consumer via Amazon’s digital (Kindle) and print offerings. As such, the respective goods, as identified, would be provided in the same or at least overlapping channels of trade to the same or overlapping classes of purchasers. D. Purchasing Conditions We now look to the conditions under which the goods are likely to be purchased, e.g., whether on impulse or after careful consideration, as well as the degree, if any, of sophistication of the consumers. Purchaser sophistication or degree of care may tend to minimize likelihood of confusion. Conversely, impulse purchases of inexpensive items may tend to have the opposite effect. Palm Bay, 73 USPQ2d at 1695. Serial No. 88242849 - 14 - Because neither Applicant’s nor Registrant’s identification limits the goods to a particular price-point, we must treat the goods as including both inexpensive as well as high-end coloring books whether in traditional paper or electronic form. The record corroborates this presumption, showing, for example, that the previously referenced “Foodies Fancy Food” coloring book is free in the digital format and $8.99 in print. Moreover, we need no evidence to know that purchasers of many less expensive “coloring books,” whether as downloadable software (digital coloring books) or in print format, require no more than ordinary care in their purchasing decisions. “When products are relatively low-priced and subject to impulse buying, the risk of likelihood of confusion is increased because purchasers of such products are held to a lesser standard of purchasing care.” Recot Inc. v. M.C. Becton, 54 USPQ2d at 1899; Specialty Brands, Inc. v. Coffee Bean Distributors, Inc., 748 F.2d 669, 223 USPQ 1281, 1282 (Fed. Cir. 1984). Thus, the fourth DuPont factor concerning the conditions of sale also weighs in favor of a finding of likelihood of confusion. E. Conclusion We conclude that confusion is likely between Applicant’s MAGIC COLOR mark for the identified software and the cited MAGICOLOR mark for the coloring books. We conclude so principally due to the nearly identical nature of the marks, the related goods, and the presumed overlap in trade channels and classes of consumers as well as the purchasing conditions. Serial No. 88242849 - 15 - Decision: The refusal to register Applicant’s mark MAGIC COLOR is affirmed. Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation