Opinion ID: 629237
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Distinctiveness/Secondary Meaning

Text: 33 Assuming a trademark or trade dress is not functional, the plaintiff must still show that the mark or dress is either distinctive or has a secondary meaning. These are alternate standards: If a mark or dress is inherently distinctive it need not be shown to also have a secondary meaning. Two Pesos, --- U.S. at ----, 112 S.Ct. at 2757; Paddington Corp. v. Attiki Importers & Distribs., 996 F.2d 577, 582 (2d Cir.1993); HWE, Inc., 993 F.2d at 696; Lisa Frank, Inc. v. Impact Int'l, Inc., 799 F.Supp. 980, 987-88 (D.Ariz.1992). 34 A mark or dress is distinctive when it identifies the particular source of the product or distinguishes it from other products. Cf. Lisa Frank, 799 F.Supp. at 988 (including arbitrary features that do not describe product or assist in effective packaging makes dress inherently distinctive). Correspondingly, a product's trademark or trade dress acquires a secondary meaning when the purchasing public associates the mark or dress with a single producer or source rather than with the product itself. Levi Strauss & Co., 778 F.2d at 1354. The difference between the two concepts may be thought of this way: A mark or trade dress may be inherently distinctive whereas secondary meaning is a learned association, an acquired distinctiveness. Two Pesos, --- U.S. at ----, 112 S.Ct. at 2757. 35 While evidence of a manufacturer's sales, advertising and promotional activities may be relevant in determining secondary meaning, the true test of secondary meaning is the effectiveness of this effort to create it. First Brands, 809 F.2d at 1383. Prestone, for instance, perhaps could have created a secondary meaning by urging consumers to look for the familiar yellow jug. Id. However, Prestone's extensive advertising campaign had failed to establish a secondary meaning. 36 Judge Waters found Jensen also had failed to establish a secondary meaning for its trade dress: This conclusion is based upon the evidence presented to this Court relating to consumer association, the degree and manner of advertising, the length and manner of use, and the lack of exclusivity of use of the claimed trademark. The district court did not explicitly address the question of whether Jensen's Blue Surround trademark and trade dress was distinctive, nor did it mention the Supreme Court's Two Pesos decision. While this would have been helpful, it matters little because we base our decision to affirm the district court's denial of a preliminary injunction on its finding regarding likelihood of confusion. 37