Opinion ID: 3051169
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Any actual association between the mark or

Text: trade name and the famous mark. [12] As has been stated, in this case a reasonable trier of fact could conclude that the marks at issue are quite similar. Moreover, there is significant evidence of actual association between the alleged diluting mark and the famous mark. As evidence of such, Mattel has submitted two surveys. In the first, respondents were exposed to the HOT RIGZ name and asked who they believed “puts out or makes” a toy vehicle with that name. Twenty-eight percent of respondents thought that the toy vehicle put out under that name was either made by Mattel or by the same company that produced HOT JADA TOYS v. MATTEL 1577 WHEELS, or that whatever company did produce it required permission from Mattel to sell the product. In a separate survey, respondents were shown a HOT RIGZ package and asked who they thought put out that product. Of the respondents, 7% believed it was either made by Mattel or by the same company that produced HOT WHEELS, or that whatever company did produce it required permission from Mattel to sell the product. [13] Not only do these surveys indicate that consumers associate one mark with the other; they suggest, too, that Mattel’s HOT WHEELS mark does not adequately identify its product because Jada is able to convey, through the use of its HOT RIGZ mark, the impression that Mattel either produces or allows the production of HOT RIGZ. See Moseley, 537 U.S. at 433-34 (holding that such evidence is sufficient to meet the heightened standard of actual dilution). Thus, a reasonable trier of fact could conclude that this evidence was sufficient to establish the existence of a likelihood of dilution.5 The district court’s entry of summary judgment is, therefore, reversed.