Opinion ID: 2807681
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: ȱDescriptiveȱofȱtheȱproductȱ

Text: Aȱdescriptiveȱtermȱordinarilyȱ namesȱaȱcharacteristicȱofȱaȱ productȱ orȱ service.ȱ HȬDȱ Mich.,ȱ Inc.ȱ v.ȱ Topȱ Qualityȱ Serv.,ȱ Inc.,ȱ 496ȱ F.3dȱ 755,ȱ 759ȱ (7thȱ Cir.ȱ 2007).ȱ Thereȱ canȱ beȱ noȱ disputeȱ hereȱ thatȱ theȱ wordȱ “inhibitor,”ȱ followingȱ theȱ wordȱ “corroȬ sion,”ȱ describesȱ aȱ characteristicȱ ofȱ WDȬ40’sȱ product,ȱ whichȱ containsȱVCIȱandȱisȱmeantȱtoȱinhibitȱcorrosionȱforȱaȱlongȱpeȬ riodȱ ofȱ time.ȱ Multipleȱ competingȱ productsȱ madeȱ byȱ thirdȱ partiesȱ useȱ theȱ wordȱ “inhibitor”ȱ toȱ describeȱ theirȱ products,ȱ andȱ WDȬ40ȱ usesȱ theȱ wordȱ multipleȱ timesȱ onȱ itsȱ bottleȱ inȱ aȱ mannerȱthatȱisȱclearlyȱnonȬsourceȱidentifying.ȱȱ Sorensenȱ offersȱ littleȱ resistanceȱ toȱ thisȱ aspectȱ ofȱ theȱ disȬ trictȱ court’sȱ opinion,ȱ thoughȱ heȱ doesȱ argueȱ thatȱ theȱ wordȱ “inhibitor”ȱ isȱ suggestiveȱ ratherȱ thanȱ merelyȱ descriptiveȱ beȬ causeȱ itȱ requiresȱ “someȱ operationȱ ofȱ theȱ imagination”ȱ toȱ makeȱtheȱconnectionȱbetweenȱtheȱtermȱ“inhibitor”ȱandȱaȱrustȱ preventativeȱ oilȱ product.ȱ G.ȱ Heilemanȱ Brewingȱ Co.ȱ v.ȱ AnȬ heuserȬBusch,ȱInc.,ȱ873ȱ F.2dȱ985,ȱ996ȱ(7thȱCir.ȱ1989).ȱWeȱdisaȬ gree,ȱ but,ȱ regardless,ȱ thisȱ framingȱ ofȱ theȱ issueȱ isȱ incorrect.ȱ TheȱWDȬ40ȱproductȱisȱcalledȱaȱ“CorrosionȱInhibitor,”ȱnotȱjustȱ anȱ “Inhibitor.”ȱ Itȱ takesȱ noȱ operationȱ ofȱ theȱ imaginationȱ toȱ No.ȱ14Ȭ3067ȱ 17 makeȱ aȱ connectionȱ betweenȱ theȱ termȱ “Corrosionȱ Inhibitor”ȱ andȱaȱproductȱthatȱinhibitsȱrustȱandȱotherȱformsȱofȱcorrosion.ȱȱ SorensenȱpointsȱtoȱtheȱcaseȱFortuneȱDynamic,ȱInc.ȱv.ȱVictoȬ ria’sȱ Secret,ȱ 618ȱ F.3dȱ 1025,ȱ 1035ȱ (9thȱ Cir.ȱ 2010),ȱ inȱ whichȱ theȱ