Opinion ID: 3040316
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Derivative Fame “Defense”

Text: Garcia also challenges Horphag’s dilution cause of action by claiming that he should not be liable for trademark dilution when the Pycnogenol trademark had already been diluted prior to his use. In Garcia’s opposition to summary judgment, he argued that the “famousness of [Horphag’s] ‘Pycnogenol’ is derived from . . . [and] rel[ies] upon the famousness of the Masquelier ‘Pycnogenol.’ ” He appears to raise the same issue on appeal by arguing that Horphag is capitalizing on Masquelier’s good will and popularity, rather than the other way around. We disagree. Garcia has not presented any evidence showing that the Masquelier’s product enjoys any fame in the United States that is independent of Horphag’s Pycnogenol mark. It is Horphag’s product that is a “buzz item” in the United States, not Masquelier’s. It is Horphag that has invested in research and marketing to increase the “famousness” of its product in this country, not Masquelier. Horphag’s Pycnogenol trademark is famous not because of a HORPHAG RESEARCH v. GARCIA 143 French product, but because of Horphag’s own investment in advertising, research, and quality control. B. The District Court Did Not Abuse Its Discretion in Reinstating the Award of Attorneys’ Fees to Horphag On remand, this court directed the district court to reconsider the portion of the attorneys’ fees analysis related to the dilution claim. See Horphag Research, 337 F.3d at 1042. On February 5, 2004, the district court ordered the reinstatement of the award of attorneys’ fees to Horphag. [12] Garcia waived any argument relating to the award of attorneys’ fees by failing to raise it in his opening brief. See Arpin v. Santa Clara Valley Transp. Agency, 261 F.3d 912, 919 (9th Cir. 2001). But even if we were to overlook this technical failure, the district court’s award of attorneys’ fees was not an abuse of discretion. See Cairns v. Franklin Mint Co., 292 F.3d 1139, 1156 (9th Cir. 2002) (reviewing award of attorneys fees for abuse of discretion). Under 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a), a court may award reasonable attorneys’ fees to the prevailing party in exceptional circumstances, which includes cases in which the act is fraudulent, deliberate, or willful. See Gracie v. Gracie, 217 F.3d 1060, 1068 (9th Cir. 2000). Garcia made deliberate and calculated attempts to confuse Masquelier’s product with Horphag’s Pycnogenol by altering quotations from research publications that refer exclusively to Horphag’s product. Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its discretion when it reinstated the award of attorneys’ fees to Horphag.