Bad Spaniels Is Back, and This Time, It Bites Back
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 19
The Ninth Circuit just reversed course on Jack Daniel’s dilution claim against the ‘Bad Spaniels’ dog toy, vacating the injunction and ruling that parody humor alone doesn’t prove reputational harm. Here’s what the decision means for brand owners pursuing tarnishment claims.
A Cautionary Tale on Trading Cards
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 18
The trading card industry is booming again – and what makes this moment different is not who holds the cards, literally and figuratively, but how the trading card space is rapidly evolving.
The Great FIFA Cover-Up
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 17
Imagine paying millions of dollars for the naming rights to a stadium—only to have your brand hidden behind a giant white tarp. That’s exactly what happened to Levi Strauss during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Beneath the Rocket’s Red Glare: Intellectual Property Considerations for Drone-Based Light Shows
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 16
As we celebrate our nation’s birthday on July 4th, many communities are replacing or supplementing traditional fireworks with drone-based light shows – which prompts the question of intellectual property protection.
#DupeInfringement: When Social Media “Dupes” Cross the Trademark Line
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 15
The fun internet trend of promoting “dupes” has officially crossed the trademark line and everyday content creators are finding themselves in the crosshairs of multimillion-dollar corporate lawsuits.
IP Scavenger Hunt: FIFA Branding at the 2026 World Cup
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 14
The FIFA World Cup is global football (or soccer) at its highest level. It is, however, also one of the most carefully crafted displays of intellectual property (IP) in the world.
TRADEMARK LAW OFF-LEASH
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 13
Trademark owners are often cast as villains when they send cease-and-desist letters. But in trademark law, failing to enforce rights can sometimes create bigger problems than enforcing them.
WNBA Comebacks, Celebrity Claims, and a Trademark Plot Twist?
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 12
Women’s sports are having a moment, and not a small one. And right alongside that rise: the business of women’s sports is heating up, including some surprisingly dramatic trademark battles.
Inventing DNA?
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 11
The idea that someone might “own” a piece of DNA raises a slightly uncomfortable question: can you really patent something that exists inside all of us?
The Bots Have Found Religion; What Will They Come Up With Next?
Fish Tank: Newsletter Volume 26, Issue 10
Forbes reported that more than 1.5 million bots on an AI agent-driven social network appear to have created a new religion for themselves, the Church of Molt, with congregants adopting the name of “Crustafarians.”