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2 UCLA Ent. L. Rev. [i] (1995)

handle is hein.journals/uclaetrlr2 and id is 1 raw text is: UCLA ENTERTAINMENT
LAW REVIEW
Volume 2     Number 1   Winter 1995

ARTICLES
Trademark Protection for Color Per Se After
Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Products Co.:
Another Grey Area in the Law
Michael B. Landau ................................ 1
Over the years, federal trademark protection has expanded so that today under
the Lanham Act, almost anything that is capable of identifying the source of goods
and services is entitled to trademark protection. Examples of now protected, but
previously unprotected, indicia of origin include shape, sound, and even fragrance.
In 1985, in In re Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp., the Federal Circuit allowed product
color-specifically, pink in connection with insulation-to be registered and protected
as a trademark. In contrast, in early 1994 the Ninth Circuit adopted an absolute per
se rule against allowing trademark registration for color in Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson
Products Co. In addition to creating an inter-circuit split of authority, the decision
also creates an easy mechanism for the Ninth Circuit to cancel validly issued
registrations for color. Recognizing the importance of the case, the Supreme Court
granted certiorari in September 1994 and heard oral arguments in January 1995. This
Article analyzes the expansive role of trademarks in recent history, and presents the
reasons that the Supreme Court should hold that if color serves to identify the source
of goods or services, it should be granted the protection of trademark registration.

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