B & L Sales Associates v. H. Daroff & Sons, Inc.

421 F.2d 352, 165 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 353, 1970 U.S. App. LEXIS 10849
Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit·Decided February 5, 1970·No. 33769_1·Published·Cited by 47 cases

Opinion

MOORE, Circuit Judge:

Plaintiff-appellant B & L Sales Associates (B & L) filed a complaint against H. Daroff & Sons, Inc. (Daroff) alleging trademark infringement, unfair competition and dilution of trademark. B & L duly filed a demand for jury trial. Daroff answered with a general denial, filed a counterclaim seeking cancellation of the trademark in dispute, and moved to strike the demand for jury trial. The latter motion was granted by Judge Tyler on September 17, 1968. Thereafter, Daroff filed a motion for summary judgment. The motion was heard upon all the pleadings and upon affidavits supporting and opposing the motion. Following oral argument, 'Judge Bryan granted the motion and entered judgment for defendant. 298 F. Supp. 908 (S.D.N.Y.1969).

The controversy stems from Daroff’s (manufacturers of Botany 500 clothes) use of the phrase “Come on Strong” in its Botany 500 advertising and promo *353 tion beginning with the year 1966. B & L had registered its trademark “Come on Strong” for work clothing and leisure wear on January 18, 1966, and the trademark was later registered for a variety of products ranging from all-purpose cleaners to bedroom and living room sets. Plaintiff alleged use and extensive word-of-mouth promotion of the slogan beginning in 1961. Subsequent to the 1966 registration of its mark for work and leisure clothing, B & L entered into licensing agreements with several small manufacturing concerns permitting use of the trademark “Come on Strong” for a variety of products, in addition to using the mark for its own goods. One of B & L’s licensees was The Foster Company, a competitor of Daroff in Philadelphia. Following the appearance of Daroff’s promotional material bearing the slogan “Come on Strong,” Foster discontinued its use of the phrase authorized by the licensing agreement. Thus plaintiff alleges, in addition to confusion with B & L’s own products, a diminution of the value of the registered trademark by virtue of the confusion Dar-off’s use of the phrase has created among plaintiff’s licensees.

The district court declined to rule on the validity of the trademark registration, addressing itself instead to the scope of protection afforded by federal trademark law, and the factual question of the alleged infringement. The court determined on the pleadings and affidavits that no showing of infringement had been made, and awarded summary judgment to Daroff. We affirm that disposition.

Exhibits showing the graphic material used in the Botany 500 promotion demonstrate that the phrase appeared in store displays, posters and advertisements in various national magazines as follows: a male model, dressed presumably in one of defendant’s suits, is posed in a commanding position near a private airplane, a sports car or some such symbol of elegant masculinity. He is generally shown to be the object of an adoring gaze lavished upon him by a correspondingly elegant and appealing female model. The rapture in her gaze bespeaks appreciation for the gentleman’s tailor. The phrase “COME ON STRONG” appears in the upper left hand corner printed in large block letters. Directly below this phrase, in somewhat smaller, yet readily visible, block-type print appears the phrase “With Botany 500.” Thus the copy reads “COME ON STRONG with Botany 500.” “Botany 500” also appears in a prominent position at the bottom of the advertisement followed by the words “tailored by Daroff.” In at least one of the advertisements, “Come on Strong” stands alone in the upper portion of the display, but “Botany 500” and “tailored by Daroff” appear prominently below the picture.

Judging from the appearance of the advertisements and from defendant’s conceded reputation as a well-known manufacturer of men’s suits, it is inconceivable that these materials were intended to attribute the source of the goods to anyone other than defendant Daroff. It is quite obvious that the phrase “Come on Strong” was intended only to describe the manner in which Botany 500 clothing would assist the purchaser in projecting a commanding, confident, “strong” image to his friends and admirers, and no intent to use the phrase in a trademark sense can be inferred from these promotional materials. Moreover, the statement by affidavit of Daroff’s vice president that defendant has never directly applied the phrase to its products by tag, label or otherwise is unchallenged.

The district court correctly observed that the federal remedy against trademark infringement is not plenary, and is only available when the plaintiff can show a likelihood of confusion, mistake or deception arising in the market as a result of defendant’s use of the mark registered to plaintiff. 15 U.S.C. § 1114(1) (a); see Miss Universe, Inc. v. Patricelli, 408 F.2d 506 (2d Cir. 1969); Maternally Yours, Inc. v. Your Maternity Shop, Inc., 234 F.2d 538 (2d *354 Cir.1956). Thus, in order to succeed in this action, plaintiff was required to prove that a likelihood existed of confusion in the marketplace regarding the source of the goods marketed by defendant resulting from its advertising use of the phrase “Come on Strong,” a phrase registered to plaintiff as a trademark for work clothes and leisure wear.

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B & L Sales Associates v. H. Daroff & Sons, Inc., 421 F.2d 352, 165 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 353, 1970 U.S. App. LEXIS 10849 (2d Cir. 1970).

421 F.2d 352 (B & L Sales Associates v. H. Daroff & Sons, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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