Opinion ID: 2652
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Analogous Use

Text: It is firmly established that the right to exclusive use of a trademark derives from its appropriation and subsequent use in the marketplace. La Societe Anonyme des Parfums le Galion v. Jean Patou, Inc., 495 F.2d 1265, 1271 (2d Cir. 1974) (Friendly, J.). Thus, there can be no trademark absent goods sold and no service mark without services rendered. See, e.g., Chance v. Pac-Tel Teletrac Inc., 242 F.3d 1151, 1156 (9th Cir.2001) ([L]ike with trademarks, common law rights are acquired in a service mark by adopting and using the mark in connection with services rendered.  (emphasis added)). Unlike trademarks, service marks usually cannot be affixed or displayed in close connection with the services, so advertisements and solicitations are often used as evidence of use. See generally 4A Rudolf Callmann, The Law of Unfair Competition, Trademarks and Monopolies § 26:27, at 26-225 to 26-228 (Louis Altman 4th ed. 1998). However, it cannot be said that a service mark is actually used if it is displayed in an advertisement for services that are non-existent or will only hypothetically be available at some point in the future. See, e.g., Greyhound Corp. v. Armour Life Ins. Co., 214 U.S.P.Q. 473, 474-75 (T.T.A.B.1982). Goetz made no actual use of My Life, My Card since Goetz's services were wholly hypothetical when he sent his promotional materials to the credit card companies. Goetz counters that even if he did not actually use My Life, My Card as a trademark, his activities were analogous to trademark use. Goetz cites Diarama Trading Co. v. J. Walter Thompson U.S.A., Inc., No. 01 Civ. 2950, 2005 WL 2148925 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 6, 2005) and Housing & Services, Inc. v. Minton, No. 97 Civ. 2725, 1997 WL 349949 (S.D.N.Y. June 24, 1997), in support of the assertion that analogous use is sufficient to establish trademark rights in the absence of actual use. These cases suggest that the analogous use doctrine, where it applies, cases the technical requirements for trademarks and services marks in favor of a competing claimant who asserts priority on the basis of earlier analogous use of the mark. Diarama, 2005 WL 2148925, at  ([P]rior `use of a designation in a manner analogous to trademark and service mark use' can defeat a trademark registered by a subsequent user.); Minton, 1997 WL 349949, at  (noting that evidence of an actual sale may not be required to establish prior use). Goetz's use of the My Life, My Card logo does not qualify as analogous use. At the very least analogous use must be use that is open and notorious. See Minton, 1997 WL 349949, at . In other words, analogous use must be of such a nature and extent that the mark has become popularized in the public mind so that the relevant segment of the public identifies the marked goods with the mark's adopter. Id.; see Diarama, 2005 WL 2148925, at . Here, Goetz used his slogan only in communications with a few commercial actors within the credit card industry. There was no public exposure of the My Life, My Card slogan. In fact, Goetz himself, in a series of emails to Hans Krebs between August and October 2004, indicated that he wanted to keep a low profile for the project and for the website. Such use was neither open nor notorious and My Life, My Card never came to be associated with Goetz in the public mind. Moreover, as Goetz never made actual use of the slogan, he would have us rely on his purported analogous use as the sole source of his trademark rights. The doctrine, however, has not been stretched so far as to obviate the requirement that Goetz show eventual actual use. See De Beers LV Trademark Ltd. v. DeBeers Diamond Syndicate Inc., 440 F.Supp.2d 249, 265 n. 14 (S.D.N.Y.2006) ([I]nsofar as plaintiffs contend that they can obtain protectable rights in a mark solely through [analogous use], this view of Section 43(a)'s scope has never been adopted by this circuit. (emphasis in original)); WarnerVision Entm't Inc. v. Empire of Carolina Inc., 915 F.Supp. 639, 646 (S.D.N.Y.1996), vacated on other grounds 101 F.3d 259 (2d Cir.1996) (any promotional activities must be within a commercially reasonable time prior to actual use for them to be considered analogous uses).