Source: http://openjurist.org/645/f2d/788
Timestamp: 2015-03-31 21:21:07
Document Index: 785439252

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1125', '§ 1126', '§ 14330', '§ 3369', '§ 17200', '§ 1125', '§ 15']

645 F2d 788 Toho Company Ltd v. Sears Roebuck & Co | OpenJurist
645 F. 2d 788 - Toho Company Ltd v. Sears Roebuck & Co	Home645 f2d 788 toho company ltd v. sears roebuck & co
645 F2d 788 Toho Company Ltd v. Sears Roebuck & Co 645 F.2d 788
3 ITRD 1063, 210 U.S.P.Q. 547
TOHO COMPANY, LTD., a Japanese Corporation, and H. G.Saperstein, an individual, doing business as H. G.Saperstein and Associates, Appellants,v.SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO., a New York Corporation, Appellee.
C.A. No. 78-3739.
Argued and Submitted Oct. 8, 1980.Decided May 18, 1981.
Thomas M. Small, Fulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht, Los Angeles, Cal., for appellants.
B. G. Nilsson, Los Angeles, Cal., argued for appellee; Nilsson, Robbins, Dalgarn, Berliner, Carson & Wurst, Los Angeles, Cal., on brief.
Before KENNEDY, FLETCHER and FARRIS, Circuit Judges.
Toho Company and H. G. Saperstein appeal from the district court's rule 12(b) (6) dismissal of their action alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition. We affirm.
I. GODZILLA AND BAGZILLA
Toho Company is a Japanese limited corporation. Since the 1950's, Toho and its licensees have produced and distributed movies and a television cartoon series featuring Godzilla, a fictitious, gigantic, green, lizard-like monster. Pictorial representations of the monster are used to promote the movies and series, as is the slogan "King of the Monsters."
Saperstein is Toho's exclusive merchandising representative of the Godzilla name and character for the United States and Canada.1 Toho, through Saperstein, has licensed others to produce Godzilla merchandise, including comic books, coloring books, sheet vinyl toys, a game, and slide transparencies. Toho alleges that it has licensed others to use the term Godzilla, depictions of the monster, and the "King of the Monsters" phrase for use in promoting merchandise.
Toho sued Sears, Roebuck & Co. seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief for what Toho alleged was improper use by Sears of a likeness of Toho's movie character, Godzilla. Sears, a New York corporation, sells garbage bags in boxes which designate the bags as a Sears product, but which also display the word "Bagzilla," depict a "comic, helpful, personified reptilian creature," and carry the legend "Monstrously Strong Bags."
Toho's complaint alleges five causes of action:
(1) false designation of origin, or false description or representation, under section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a) (1976);
(2) infringement of common law trademark;
(3) federal unfair competition under section 44(b) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1126(b) (1976);
(4) state unfair competition under California Business and Professions Code §§ 14330 (dilution) and 17500 (false or misleading statements) (West Supp.1980) and under former California Civil Code § 3369 (West 1970) (present version codified at Cal.Bus. & Prof.Code §§ 17200-17208 (West Supp.1980)) (unfair competition generally);
(5) misappropriation and unjust enrichment under state law.
II. FALSE DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN
Under section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a) (1976), a claimant may prove the validity of an unregistered mark without the benefit of the presumption of validity that registration confers. In addition to showing that the mark has become identified with the manufacturer by acquiring a "secondary meaning," see Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Inc. v. Pussycat Cinema, Ltd., 604 F.2d 200, 203 & n.5 (2d Cir. 1979); Frederick Warne & Co. v. Book Sales Inc., 481 F.Supp. 1191, 1195 (S.D.N.Y.1979); see generally 1 J. T. McCarthy, Trademarks and Unfair Competition § 15:10 (1973), the claimant must show that the defendant has created a likelihood of confusion as to the origin of its products, International Order of Job's Daughters v. Lindeburg & Co., 633 F.2d 912, 917 (9th Cir. 1980); New West Corp. v. NYM Co., 595 F.2d 1194, 1201 (9th Cir. 1979); Boston Professional Hockey Association v. Dallas Cap & Emblem Manufacturing, Inc., 510 F.2d 1004, 1010 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 868, 96 S.Ct. 132, 46 L.Ed.2d 98 (1975); Frederick Warne & Co. v. Book Sales Inc., 481 F.Supp. 1191, 1195-96 (S.D.N.Y.1979). Thus, Toho's section 43(a) claim must fail if Sears' use of the Bagzilla name, figure, or slogan poses no likelihood of confusing consumers by suggesting that the Sears trash bags were made, sponsored or endorsed by Toho.
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