trademark question on domain name

mdhawt

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using a brand name and adding another word...are these issues i should avoid?

e.g. xxx.BrandNameMarketing.com
xxx.BrandNamePromotion.com

zzz.BrandNameaaa.com
and so on

thnx
mike
 
I'm not an expert on this, but I read somewhere(DP.. so not really sure) you could get in trouble just for using a celebrity's name on your site/blog.. but if you don't directly screw with their business/fame, I see no reason why they should give you any trouble..
just my 2cents..:)
 
using a brand name and adding another word...are these issues i should avoid?

e.g. xxx.BrandNameMarketing.com
xxx.BrandNamePromotion.com

zzz.BrandNameaaa.com
and so on

thnx
mike


Yes avoid them. Assuming the company brand you're looking at targeting actively enforces their trademarks you will more than likely lose them in the future.

Regarding the other poster. Celebrity names is kind of a grey area. They can swing either way. Like a fan site that isn't attempting to profit from the celebrity would stand a good chance at not losing the domain to a UDRP.
 
I'm not a Patent Attorney, but have used thier services a few times.

I've been told that as long as the word is in the dictionary, that means in common and can not be trademarked. If the other hand, the word is unique, and not in the dictionary than it's best to stay away from it.

You can also do a search here http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp


This is just my experience, and it's best to checked out with a Patent Attorney (~ $400)
 
If the "brand name" is already unique and distinctive, it will violate an existing trademark even if mixed with some generic words esp. if there is a tendency to suggest/confuse the public that somehow your new brand is connected with a known brand. If the "brand name" is somewhat generic but it already acquired a secondary meaning, you can't use that as well.

Anyway, try coining your own word or brand. It's safer. Removing or adding an extra letter is a common technique nowadays.
 
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