Knowles-Carter v. Feyonce, Inc.

347 F. Supp. 3d 217
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedSeptember 30, 2018
Docket16-CV-2532 (AJN)
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 347 F. Supp. 3d 217 (Knowles-Carter v. Feyonce, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Knowles-Carter v. Feyonce, Inc., 347 F. Supp. 3d 217 (S.D. Ill. 2018).

Opinion

ALISON J. NATHAN, United States District Judge

Plaintiffs Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter and BGK Trademark Holdings, LLC bring this action against Feyoncé Inc., Lee Lee, and individual Defendants Andre Maurice and Leanna Lopez, alleging trademark infringement and dilution, unfair competition, and unjust enrichment associated with the sale of merchandise using the brand name "Feyoncé," which Defendants market to the engaged to be married-i.e., fiancés. Before the Court is Plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment and entry of a permanent injunction against Defendants Andre Maurice and Leana Lopez.

There can be no dispute that in marketing to fiancé purchasers, defendants chose the formation "FEYONCÉ" in order to capitalize off of the exceedingly famous BEYONCÉ mark. But that alone does not establish likelihood of confusion. Rather, a critical question is whether a rational consumer would mistakenly believe FEYONCÉ products are sponsored by or affiliated with BEYONCÉ products. A rational jury might or might not conclude that the pun here is sufficient to dispel any confusion among the purchasing public. Thus, there is a genuine dispute of material fact that requires denial of the motion for summary judgment.

I. Background

A. Factual Background

The following facts are undisputed except where specifically noted.1 Plaintiff Beyoncé Knowles-Carter ("Beyoncé") is a world-renowned music artist who is among the best known figures in entertainment. As such, the Court need not recount the details of her celebrity here. Plaintiff BGK Trademark Holdings, LLC ("BGK"), is the owner of the federally registered trademark BEYONCÉ, which was entered on the Principal Register of the United States Patent and Trademark office ("USPTO") on August 31, 2004, as Registration No. 2,879,852. Putnam Deck, Ex. 2 at 12.2 The *222registration includes Class 25: "Clothing: namely - shirts, sweaters, blouses, jackets, slacks, hats and caps." Id. Plaintiffs' mark was first used in commerce June 24, 2003, and it has remained in continuous use since its registration. Id. , Ex. 1 at 3; Vargas Deck ¶ 5. Products that feature the BEYONCÉ mark are sold on the website < shop.beyonceshop.com.> Vargas Deck ¶ 5. Among these products are clothing items such as T-shirts and sweatshirts, which retail for approximately $35.00 to $70.00. Id ¶ 9.

Defendants Andre Maurice and Leana Lopez operate a business that sells clothing and apparel with the mark FEYONCÉ and certain phrases from Beyoncé's well known songs. Putnam Decl., Ex. 23 at 2. On November 25, 2015, Defendant Maurice applied to register the FEYONCÉ mark with the USPTO. Id. , Ex. 6. On November 30, 2015, Maurice applied to register an almost identical mark without the accent over the final E (FEYONCE). Id. , Ex. 7. Both applications included registration for use in clothing and apparel. Id. , Ex 6, 7. Defendants began using the FEYONCÉ mark in commerce in 2016. Id. , Ex 22 at 5. On March 22, 2016, the USPTO informed Defendants that it was refusing both applications for several reasons, including because it determined that the marks were confusingly similar to the registered mark BEYONCÉ. Id. , Ex. 8, 9. On April 29, 2016, Defendants Maurice and Lopez incorporated their business, Feyonce Inc., and on July 13, 2016, submitted an additional trademark application, this time for the mark "Feyonce Inc." Id. , Ex. 21. Defendant Maurice subsequently responded to the USPTO's refusal to register FEYONCE, arguing that the mark is not confusingly similar to BEYONCÉ. Id. , Ex. 10. On October 31, 2016, the USPTO again refused to register the mark, finding Defendant Maurice's argument "unpersuasive," and suspending the application. Id. , Ex. 11.

After beginning to use the mark FEYONCÉ in commerce in at least March of 2016, Defendants sold clothing items on < feyonceshop.com> until at least October 26, 2016. Id. , Ex. 25. From at least January 15, 2017 through May 15, 2017, Defendants sold similar items on Etsy.com through a shop called "FeyonceShop." Id. , Ex. 26. On November 17, 2017, Defendants represented to the Court that they had stopped selling FEYONCÉ products, but that they continued to own the domain name < feyonceshop.com> and the email address feyonceinc@yahoo.com. Dkt. No. 96.

B. Procedural Background

On February 22, 2015, counsel for Plaintiffs' sent a cease and desist letter to Defendant Maurice demanding that Defendants stop using the FEYONCÉ mark, abandon their trademark applications, and transfer the domain name < feyonceshop.com> to Plaintiffs. Putnam Decl, Ex. 14. Not receiving a response, on April 5, 2016, Plaintiffs filed a complaint against Defendants Maurice and Lopez, in addition to Lee Lee and Feyonce, Inc., asserting causes of action for Federal Trademark Infringement, in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 1114 ; Federal Unfair Competition, in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a) ; Federal Trademark Dilution, in violation of 15 U.S.C. 1125(c) ; Deceptive Acts and Practices, in violation of New York General Business Law § 349 ; Trademark Dilution, in violation of New York General Business Law § 360-L ; common law unfair competition; and unjust enrichment. Dkt. No. 1.

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347 F. Supp. 3d 217, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/knowles-carter-v-feyonce-inc-ilsd-2018.