Opinion ID: 4179424
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Strength of the JOULES mark

Text: ʺThe strength of a mark is determined by its tendency to uniquely identify the source of the product.ʺ Star Indus., Inc. v. Bacardi & Co., 412 F.3d 373, 384 (2d Cir. 2005). ʺTo gauge a markʹs strength, we consider two factors: its inherent distinctiveness, and its distinctiveness in the marketplace.ʺ Streetwise, 159 F.3d at 743. We agree with the district court that the strength factor weighs in MMGʹs favor. First, the JOULES mark is inherently strong because the USPTO registered it without proof of secondary meaning, so we presume ʺthat the mark is more than merely descriptiveʺ and ʺis inherently distinctive.ʺ Lane Capital Mgmt., Inc. v. Lane Capital Mgmt., Inc., 192 F.3d 337, 345 (2d Cir. 1999). Second, there is evidence of the markʹs weakness in the marketplace. Joulesʹs expert opined that only 16.2% of participants in his survey, which targeted women between the ages of sixteen and thirty‐five who had recently shopped for clothing, had seen, heard of, or purchased ‐ 9 ‐ Joules products. Joules admitted that at least twelve other trademark registrations and websites use ʺJulesʺ or a homophone to offer products for sale in the market for womenʹs clothing. The court did not clearly err in finding that the commercial weakness of the JOULES mark undercut its inherent strength. Thus, we find no clear error in the finding that the strength factor favored MMG.