Did you know that the "Jersey Shore" reality actor, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino had his trademark application for his nickname rejected by the USPTO? The USPTO examiner rejected his trademark application because of its similarity to a "Situation" trademark previously issued to a Memphis retailer selling men's, women's, and children's apparel and shoes. Sorrentino wanted to market "The Situation" t-shirts and underwear, and the USPTO examining officer decided that would lead to confusion if a "The Situation" trademark was registered.
BTW That is a common reason why trademark applications are turned down, if a new trademark would likely mislead the public and take sales away from another business. Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
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