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Business Basics by Kurt Stau f fer How to come out on top in a trademark dispute SIGNED OFF: The author's company parted ways with its "R-Star" logo after a large national brand with a similar logo purchased it to avoid confusion. W hat happens when you discover that one of America's lution. Here is our experience and the lessons we took from it. I most recognizable brands has a logo that looks nearly hope it's useful to other independent businesses—and that what identical to your roasting we learned might help you protect your company's logo? Do you roll over and logo if you ever have to endure your change your branding to appease the own unfortunate trademark battle. Keep records and document much larger company, or do you stick communication about your to your guns and fight to maintain your IDENTIFYING brand identity? brand, with date-stamped THE ISSUE It's a question we had to answer emails and other mediums. recently when our company, Rowster We were fortunate that one of our Facebook is a good source New American Coffee, discovered a most colorful customers was also for documenting your story striking resemblance between our logo an attorney we had partnered with. (a capital R with a star above it) and Jim Mitchell of Mitchell Intellectual through images and dates. that of one of America's top coffee Property Law would often bring clients brands. Upon seeing the similarities to the shop and strike up conversations between the logos, we felt simultanewith our baristas. He completed our ously honored by the compliment, enraged by the offense and trademark registration of Rowster, but we had not yet registered helpless to do anything. the "R-Star" logo. Upon noticing the other brand's similar logo, we But we did take action, and we ultimately reached a happy reso- sent Mitchell a link to the company's Web site with the message, 28 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com