Trademark Inquiry

[guestbrill]

I am researching starting an online t-shirt business. Some of the shirts I want to create use the nickname/mascot names of colleges such as Hurricanes or Seminoles. Will I get in trouble for these shirts? Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[seniorjudge]

You need permission of trademark holders to use their trademarks.

 

[guestbrill]

How do I find out if their trademarked?

 

[guestbrill]

If hokies is trademarked, can I still use hokie?

 

[seniorjudge]

If hokies is trademarked, can I still use hokie?

What's a hokie?

 

[guestbrill]

A hokie is an emasculated turkey. I went to the government trademark website and found hokies is registered to Virginia Tech however I didnt see anything trademarked for plain hokie. Does this mean as long as I use hokie and not hokies I am safe?

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: Does this mean as long as I use hokie and not hokies I am safe?Does this mean as long as I use hokie and not hokies I am safe?Does this mean as long as I use hokie and not hokies I am safe?

A: A turkey eunuch is a school mascot? Now I can die in peace for I have heard everything. Anyway, if you use somebody's trademark, you need permission. It's a simple concept. I don't know if you will be safe or not. My crystal ball got broken during the November elections.

 

[guestbrill]

I guess what I am asking is if the word "hokies" is trademarked but "hokie" is not, can I use the nonplural hokie? I am unclear on how specific trademarks are.

 

[wcomp]

If it would create a likelihood of confusion withe the genuine mark - something which would seem to be the case, as your merchandising plan wouldn't have much value if nobody would think of the trademark when they saw your variant - it is likely going to violate their trademark.