Opinion ID: 771716
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Combining the Factors

Text: 123 As the foregoing discussion demonstrates, the District Court carefully considered the relevant factors weighing for and against a finding of likelihood of confusion. Most importantly, the court determined that, although the overall commercial impressions of the marks are only somewhat distinct if one looks just to sight, sound, and meaning, the fact that Victoria's Secret uses a housemark and a disclaimer tips the balance and makes this factor, the similarity of the marks themselves, weigh in favor of Victoria's Secret. This factor was essential to the District Court's ultimate finding of fact; it found that solely on the assumption that the disclaimer would continue to be used, the marks were not similar. As to the other factors, the court found that: (1) the products; and (2) the channels of marketing were sufficiently similar to weigh those factors in favor of A&H, but that: (3) the consumers were sophisticated; (4) Victoria's Secret exhibited no culpable intent in selecting its mark; and (5) there was insufficient credible evidence of instances of actual confusion, all of which weighed in favor of Victoria's Secret. We find no reason to disturb any of these findings. Finally, the court also concluded that the mark Miraclesuit merited a high level of protection, and weighed this factor in favor of A&H. Though we believe that the District Court could have been more emphatic in its finding that the marks were dissimilar, and may also have overrated the strength of the Miraclesuit mark, these factors only support our affirmance of the ultimate conclusion that the marks are not likely to be directly confused. 124 Although a number of factors favored A&H, these do not upset the balance. In sum, we find no error in the District Court's careful consideration and weighing of the factors, and its use of them as tools in reaching its ultimate finding of fact. We therefore will affirm the judgment with respect to the direct confusion claim.