Camowraps, LLC v. Quantum Digital Ventures LLC

74 F. Supp. 3d 730, 2015 WL 546724, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16091
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedFebruary 10, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 13-6808
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 74 F. Supp. 3d 730 (Camowraps, LLC v. Quantum Digital Ventures LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Camowraps, LLC v. Quantum Digital Ventures LLC, 74 F. Supp. 3d 730, 2015 WL 546724, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16091 (E.D. La. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

LANCE M. AFRICK, District Judge.

Before the Court are a motion1 filed by plaintiff for partial summary judgment, and a motion2 for summary judgment filed by defendants, Quantum Digital Ventures LLC and Haas Outdoors, Inc'. For the following reasons, plaintiffs motion is DENIED and defendants’ motion is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, Camowraps, LLC (“Camow-raps”), is “a leader in the business of manufacturing, selling, and distributing adhesive vinyl films and products,” “which are often sold in camouflage patterns ... [and] [734]*734used on vehicles, hunting gear, sports equipment and any items with surfaces to which films can adhere.”3 Camowraps owns U.S. Registration No. 2,790,943 for the mark “CAMOWRAPS” and sells its products under that mark.4

Plaintiff alleges that defendants, Quantum Digital Ventures LLC and Haas Outdoors, Inc., are infringing on the CAMOW-RAPS trademark in violation of federal and state laws by licensing and selling similar vinyl wrap products under identical or confusingly similar marks.5 Defendants contend that “CAMOWRAPS” is generic and not entitled to trademark protection, which they assert as both an affirmative defense to Camowraps’ trademark infringement claims and as a counterclaim requesting that the Court cancel the registration of plaintiffs trademark.6

Plaintiff moves for partial summary judgment with respect to defendants’ affirmative defense and counterclaim predicated on the purported genericness of the “CAMOWRAPS” mark.7 Defendants move for summary judgment as to (1) their genericness affirmative defense and counterclaim, (2) their fair-use affirmative defense, (3) plaintiffs trademark infringement claim, (4) plaintiffs claim pursuant to the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act (“LUTPA”), and (5) plaintiffs claim for damages, profits, or attorney’s fees.8

STANDARD OF LAW

Summary judgment is proper when, after reviewing the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits, the court determines there is no genuine issue of material fact. See Fed. R.Civ.'P. 56. “[A] party seeking summary judgment always bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion and identifying those portions of [the record] which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The party seeking summary judgment need not produce evidence negating the existence of material fact, but need only point out the absence of evidence supporting the other party’s case. Id.; Fontenot v. Upjohn Co., 780 F.2d 1190, 1195 (5th Cir.1986).

Once the party seeking summary judgment carries its burden pursuant to Rule 56, the nonmoving party must come forward with specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue of material fact for trial. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). The showing of a genuine issue is not satisfied by creating “ ‘some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts,’ by ‘conclusory allegations,’ by ‘unsubstantiated assertions,’ or by only a ‘scintilla’ of evidence.” Little v. Liquid Air Corp., 37 F.3d 1069, 1075 (5th Cir.1994) (citations omitted). Instead, a genuine issue of material fact exists when the “evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). The party responding [735]*735to the motion for summary judgment may not rest upon the pleadings, but must identify specific facts that establish a genuine issue. Id. The nonmoving party’s evidence, however, “is to be believed, and all justifiable inferences are to be drawn in [the nonmoving party’s] favor.” Id. at 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505; see also Hunt v. Cromartie, 526 U.S. 541, 552, 119 S.Ct. 1545, 143 L.Ed.2d 731 (1999).

Plaintiff and defendants cross-move for summary judgment with respect to the issue of genericness as raised in defendants’ affirmative defense and counterclaim for cancellation of plaintiffs trademark.9 The Court must consider cross-motions separately “as each movant bears the burden of establishing that no genuine issue of material fact exists and that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Shaw Constructors v. ICF Kaiser Eng’rs, Inc., 395 F.3d 533, 538-39 (5th Cir.2004).

ANALYSIS

A. Substantive Claims

1) Genericness

a. Applicable Law

“A generic term refers to ‘a particular genus or class of which an individual article or service is but a member,’ suggesting the ‘basic nature of articles or services.’ ” Tex. Pig Stands, Inc. v. Hard Rock Cafe, Int’l, 951 F.2d 684, 692 (5th Cir.1992). “The test for genericness is whether the public perceives the term primarily as the designation of the article.” Soc’y of Fin. Examiners v. Nat’l Ass’n of Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc., 41 F.3d 223, 227 (5th Cir.1995) (alterations and internal quotation marks omitted). “Put another way, ‘the primary significance of a trademark ‘in the minds of the consuming public is not the product but the producer.’ ” Id. (quoting Kellogg Co. v. Nat’l Biscuit Co., 305 U.S. 111, 118, 59 S.Ct. 109, 83 L.Ed. 73 (1938)). The burden is on defendants to show the genericness of plaintiffs registered trademark. See, e.g., Colt Defense LLC v. Bushmaster Firearms, Inc., 486 F.3d 701, 705 (1st Cir.2007). Genericness is a fact question. See Retail Servs., Inc. v. Freebies Publ’g, 364 F.3d 535, 541-42 (4th Cir.2004).

When considering whether a trademark is generic, the Court looks to dictionary definitions, consumer surveys, “the so-called ‘imagination test,’ ” “whether others in the same business would generally need the word to adequately describe their product or service,” expert testimony by language and usage scholars, and “evidence regarding how many other businesses, in the same industry, use the term to describe their product.” See U. Nat’l Bank of Tex., Laredo, Tex. v. U. Nat’l Bank of Tex., Austin, Tex., 909 F.2d 839, 847-48 (5th Cir.1990) (emphasis omitted); see also J. Thomas McCarthy, 2 McCarthy on Trademarks & Unfair Competition § 12:13 (4th ed.2014) (listing same six categories of relevant evidence).

The parties disagree whether, when deciding if the composite trademark “CAMOWRAPS” is generic, it is appropriate to consider evidence pertaining to the component terms “camo” and “wrap,” such as the dictionary definitions of those terms.10

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74 F. Supp. 3d 730, 2015 WL 546724, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16091, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/camowraps-llc-v-quantum-digital-ventures-llc-laed-2015.