Source: https://www.docketalarm.com/trademarks/86475284/BMC_STRATEGIC_INNOVATION/2015-03-30/Offc_Action_Outgoing/
Timestamp: 2020-08-05 01:22:49
Document Index: 28839867

Matched Legal Cases: ['APPLICATION NO. 86475284', '§2', '§1402', '§1051', '§2', '§904', '§1301', '§1051', '§2', '§1301']

`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 86475284 - BMC STRATEGIC INNOVATION - 122574
`3/30/2015 3:29:29 PM
`U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. (cid:160) 86475284
`*86475284*
`(cid:160) 122574
`Identification of Services – Amendment Required
`he identification of services in the application currently reads as follows:(cid:160) “Education, coaching and training services related to marketing,
`advertising, marketing studies, market research, business consulting, professional business consulting, business assistance, business advice and
`commercial information, business research, commercial assistance and consulting services in the fields of business management, business
`organization and business direction, commercial business management, brand positioning, providing information in the fields of business
`innovation process, business management and business opportunities, and business consulting for enterprises and industrial companies.”
`his wording must be amended to clarify the nature of the services as follows.
`1) The beginning phrase – “Education, coaching and training services” – is acceptable with regard to the “coaching and training” but
`indefinite with regard to “education.” (cid:160) Applicant may amend to either of the following two formats to resolve this issue:
`Education services, namely, coaching and training services related to . . .
`Providing educational [specify types of such services – e.g., “workshops, classes and seminars”] as well as coaching and training
`services, all related to . . .
`2) With regard to the remainder of the identification, it appears that applicant attempted to list a number of topics for the educational services
`using wording that parallels the types of business services identified in applicant’s companion application in Class 35. (cid:160) However, this type of
`format is not entirely clear with regard to some of the listed topics, due to the fact that the wording appears to be referring not just to business-
`related topics but to specific types of Class 35 business services.(cid:160) For example, the listing includes “business consulting” – which as written
`would be understood as indicating that applicant is providing educational coaching and training about consulting (as opposed to providing
`coaching/training concerning the various business topics that applicant also provides consulting services in connection with, as separately listed
`in Class 35).(cid:160) Similarly, including “providing information in the fields of business innovation process, business management and business
`opportunities” would, in the context of the overall identification, be understood as indicating that applicant is providing coaching/training
`services on the topic of providing information in those fields.
`he examining attorney is unclear as to whether this is what applicant intended by the way in which the topics are listed in the identification.(cid:160) If
`not, then the examining attorney suggests that the overall format of the identification be amended to more clearly and concisely identify the
`subject matter of the educational services, such as the following:
`Education services, namely, coaching and training services related to marketing, advertising, business assistance, management and
`organization, brand positioning, and business innovation
`he examining attorney believes that the above-suggested amendment identifies broad topics that encompass all of the wording in the current
`identification.(cid:160) If applicant does wish to retain more (or all) of the original longer listing of topics, then applicant may do so, but is strongly
`encouraged to reformat the reference to “providing information in the fields of business innovation process, business management and business
`opportunities” to “business information relating to innovation process, management and business opportunities.” (cid:160) In addition, if much or all of
`the original listing of topics is retained in the amended identification, then the examining attorney suggests that the introduction include the
`following phrase to clarify that the remainder of the wording is all referring to topics of the educational services:
`Education services, namely, coaching and training services related to the following business topics:
`inally, please note that an applicant may only amend an identification to clarify or limit the services, but not to add to or broaden the scope of
`the services.(cid:160) 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); see TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07.
`Specimens Unacceptable – New Specimen Referencing Class 41 Services Required
`he application includes specimens in the nature of pages from applicant’s website. (cid:160) However, the examining attorney was unable to find any
`reference on the specimens to educational services (including any references to coaching, training, seminars, etc.).
`egistration is thus refused because the specimens do not show a direct association between the applied-for mark and the identified services;
`thus the specimens fail to show the applied-for mark in use in commerce for the Class 41 services identified in the application.(cid:160) Trademark Act
`Sections 1 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a), 1301.04(f)(ii), (g)(i).(cid:160)(cid:160)
`Specimens consisting of advertising or promotional materials generally must show a direct association between the mark and the services for
`which registration is sought.(cid:160) See In re Universal Oil Prods. Co., 476 F.2d 653, 655, 177 USPQ 456, 457 (C.C.P.A. 1973); In re HSB Solomon
`Assocs., 102 USPQ2d 1269, 1274 (TTAB 2012); TMEP §1301.04(f)(ii).(cid:160) While the exact nature of the services does not need to be specified in
`the specimen, there must be something which creates in the mind of the purchaser an association between the mark and the service.(cid:160) In re Adair,
`45 USPQ2d 1211, 1215 (TTAB 1997) (quoting In re Johnson Controls Inc., 33 USPQ2d 1318, 1320 (TTAB 1994)); see In re Osmotica
`Holdings, Corp., 95 USPQ2d 1666, 1668 (TTAB 2010).
`n the present case, the specimens show the mark and clearly refer to applicant’s business-related services (referring to “business growth,”
`“strategic research,” “business intelligence,” etc.).
`(cid:160) However, all of the wording on these pages would be understood as referring to Class 35
`business services, and not to the separate educational/training/coaching services that have been specifically identified in this application.
`international class of services identified in the application or amendment to allege use.(cid:160) 15 U.S.C. §1051(a)(1); 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv),
`xamples of specimens for services include advertising and marketing materials, brochures, photographs of business signage and billboards, and
`webpages that show the mark used in the actual sale, rendering, or advertising of the services.(cid:160) See TMEP §1301.04(a), (h)(iv)(C).
`pplicant may respond to this refusal by satisfying one of the following for each applicable international class:
`(1)(cid:160) Submit a different specimen (a verified “substitute” specimen ) that (a) was in actual use in commerce at least as early as the filing
`services identified in the application or amendment to allege use.
`company’s performance,” etc. (cid:160) And as reflected in the identification of services, applicant’s coaching/training services are specifically tied to
`these business topics – thus making the phrase “STRATEGIC INNOVATION” equally descriptive of the Class 35 services in applicant’s
`companion application as well as the Class 41 educational services in this present application.(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`3/30/2015 3:29:30 PM