"infringement" news and stories

A chain of Canadian restaurants can continue to use the name Barbie's, despite complaints from toymaker Mattel. Canada's Supreme Court recently decided that the Montreal-based steak restaurants have nothing to do with the doll. Mining the decision for a bit of humor, Justice Ian Binnie read a dictionary definition of Barbie as "a female who is superficially attractive in a conventional way, especially with blue eyes and blond hair, but who lacks personality," Reuters reported. "In that regard, the association of the Barbie doll with food might be taken as a warning of blandness," he added. The same court also ruled that a Canadian line of women's clothing can continue to use the name Cliquot, which is only one c away from the name of the famous champagne house. Bloomberg also reports.

Starbucks Corp. recently emerged victorious over a chain of Chinese coffee houses with names and logos that the Seattle-based coffee giant felt too closely resembled their own. The Chinese company went by the name of Xingbake. "Xing" means star and bake, pronounced "bah kuh," sounds a bit too much like Starbucks, apparently. The logos are a little curious as well.

According to the recent ruling, Xingbake will pay Starbucks Corp. $62,000.

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