Jerry Finn v. Cooper's Incorporated

292 F.2d 555, 48 C.C.P.A. 1132
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedJuly 26, 1961
DocketPatent Appeal 6672
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 292 F.2d 555 (Jerry Finn v. Cooper's Incorporated) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jerry Finn v. Cooper's Incorporated, 292 F.2d 555, 48 C.C.P.A. 1132 (ccpa 1961).

Opinions

SMITH, Judge.

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board granted appellee-petitioner’s petition to cancel appellant-registrant’s registration No. 654,810, registered November 19, 1957 (124 USPQ 10). The mark sought to be cancelled as shown in the drawing which appears in the published opinion of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board consists of the words “Jerry Finn” separated by a diagonal line and enclosed within a rectangular border. At the left of the word “Jerry” and superimposed over a portion of the border is a representation of an old fashioned horse hitching post in which the upright portion is in the form of a human figure appropriately clothed in a costume associated with jockeys, horse racing and horse handling. The figure is shown in a part-turned position facing towards the right, with the left arm upraised and holding a hitching ring and the right arm is bent with the back of the hand placed against the hip.

[557]*557The goods set forth in the registration are men’s and young men’s coats, suits and trousers, ties, sweaters, shirts, hats, and women’s shirts.

It is stipulated (1) that the customers of Jerry Finn usually call for the goods by the name “Jerry Finn,” (2) that the appellant’s mark is always used in the form described, in all advertising and on or in connection with the sale of the goods and (3) that there have been no instances of any actual confusion.

Petitioner asserts as the basis of its petition for cancellation that:

“ * * * registrant’s design mark so nearly resembles petitioner’s design trademark as used by petitioner in connection with its goods as to be likely to cause confusion in the minds of the public and to deceive purchasers. The public, on seeing the Boy-Design trademark on registrant’s garments will believe that they are petitioner’s garments and petitioner avers that the registration by registrant of said trademark interferes with the use of petitioner of its Boy-Design, embarrasses petitioner in the free use of its trademark and is injurious and damaging to petitioner.”

Petitioner’s mark1 consists of the representation of a jockey in full jockey dress and is also shown pictorially in the published opinion of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Comparison of registrant’s and petitioner’s marks shows them to be similar insofar as both utilize the representation of a human male figure garbed in costumes associated with jockeys and horse racing. They differ in the postures of the figures and in details of the costumes shown. The figure is shown as but part of appellant’s composite mark which includes a rectangular box border in which the name “Jerry Finn” appears. No such border or name is used by petitioner. Petitioner’s mark also differs from that of appellant in that the jockey carries a whip in the left hand instead of the hitching ring as shown in appellant’s mark.

The issue here is whether appellant’s registered mark so resembles petitioner’s registered mark as to be likely to cause confusion or mistake or deceive purchasers within the meaning of Section 2(d) of the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C.A. § 1052).

The test is whether there is likely to be confusion in the minds of the public with regard to the origin of the goods bearing the allegedly conflicting mark. Nestle’s Milk Products, Inc. v. Baker Importing Company, Inc., 182 F.2d 193, 37 CCPA 1066. Such a test is, by its very nature, subjective. Such being the case, prior decisions are of little help in arriving at a conclusion, inasmuch as each case must be determined on the basis of its own particular facts. Kitchen-Quip, Inc. v. Sunbeam Corporation, 222 F.2d 265, 42 CCPA 869.

While the issue must also be determined by considering the marks of the opposing parties in their entireties, Apollo Shirt Company v. Enro Shirt Company, Inc., 165 F.2d 469, 35 CCPA 849; Kitchen-Quip, Inc. v. Sunbeam Corporation, supra, it is necessary when dealing with symbols of the type here in issue to determine also the extent to which the pictorial symbol, as distinct from the words used, has come to indicate the source or origin of goods with which the symbol is used. Columbian Steel Tank Co. v. Union Tank & Supply Co., 277 F.2d 192, 47 CCPA 898.

While the courts have also ruled that, in determining the question of likelihood of confusion, consideration should be given to the appearance, sound and meaning of the mark, Hancock v. The American Steel & Wire Co. of New Jersey, etc., 203 F.2d 737, 40 CCPA 931; Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Montgomery Ward & Co., Inc., 150 F.2d 439, 32 CCPA 1074; The Quaker Oats Co. v. St. Joe Processing Co., Inc., 232 F.2d 653, 43 CCPA 892, [558]*558we pointed out in the Columbian case that “ * * * this rule of thumb has no bearing on the issue here. Symbols of this kind do not sound.” [47 CCPA 898, 277 F.2d 196.] Here, as in the Columbian case, the issue is whether confusion, mistake or deception of purchasers is likely to result from the use of the whole challenged mark in view of petitioner’s prior use and registration of its jockey symbol mark.

Arbitrary symbols of the type here in issue like all other trademarks acquire the ability to indicate source or origin of goods when they are used and become associated by the public with the goods of a particular user. The colorful figure of the jockey was used by petitioner many years before registrant adopted the figure shown in the mark sought to be cancelled. The record shows extensive use and advertising by petitioner over many years long prior to registrant’s selection of a similar figure forming the dominant part of its mark.

In dealing with such marks, we must consider the visual impact of the marks on the minds of the prospective purchasers who view them. Such symbols are readily recognized by both literate and illiterate prospective purchasers and are as readily associated with particular goods by children as it is by adults. It requires no translation into the words of other languages before it can be recognized as a symbol indicating source or origin of the goods with which it is used. Symbolic marks speak a universal language; they lend themselves to effective display in advertising and sales promotional activity and can thus become the dominant part of the mark on labels, packages, and point of purchase displays. They can catch the eye of the customer and create a lasting general impression. Current mass advertising media utilize symbols which are visually projected into millions of homes of prospective purchasers by television and these symbols frequently are associated with pictures of the goods of a particular user.

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Jerry Finn v. Cooper's Incorporated
292 F.2d 555 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1961)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
292 F.2d 555, 48 C.C.P.A. 1132, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jerry-finn-v-coopers-incorporated-ccpa-1961.