Opinion ID: 2966389
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Similarity Factors

Text: We now consider briefly the similarity of the two marks, of the goods the marks identify, of the facilities employed to transact the parties' business,13 and of the advertising used by the parties. L'eggsR and Leg LooksR , although not identical, are perceived similarly by the eye and ear. Whether being written or spoken, L'eggsR and the first syllable of Leg LooksR are quite similar. Moreover, Leg Looks'R first syllable stands alone, emphasizing its similarity to L'eggsR. There can be little argument as to the similarity of the goods that the two marks represent (both are associated with women's hosiery), the facilities that the parties employ to transact business (both L'eggsR and Leg LooksR are distributed in the FDM market, often side-byside), or the advertising used by Sara Lee and Kayser-Roth (both employ similar media and target the same consumers). Regarding these three factors, there is no substantial difference between the parties that would serve to ameliorate any confusion of their marks. _________________________________________________________________ The significance of registration without proof of secondary meaning . . . is that the Patent and Trademark Office has concluded that the mark or figure was not merely descriptive but suggestive[,] and this essential fact . . . must be considered prima facie correct by a court in considering the validity of a trademark. . .[.] [R]egistration . . . constitutes not only a determination . . . that the term or word is suggestive but also operates to provide prima facie evidence of the registrant's right to use the mark, endowing it with a strong presumption of validity. (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). Of course, if L'eggsR were indeed a generic term, it could not legally be registered as a trademark. The inescapable conclusion is that either the Patent and Trademark Office or the district court has made a mistake; we are convinced that it was the latter. 13 This factor has also been expressed as the proximity of the products. Perini at 127. 16