Multi Time Machine Inc. v. Amazon.com Inc., (9th Cir. 2015) 792 F.3d 1070.
In today's day and age of internet retail shopping, companies and consumers alike rely heavily on search engines and keyword advertising to aid a consumer's search in finding products to purchase. However, on July 6, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that Amazon may have created a likelihood of confusion to customers who were searching for Multi Time Machine Inc.'s manufactured military-style "MTM Special Ops" watches. With this holding, the United States Court of Appeals may have expanded trademark owners' rights in the search engine context.
Read the full article here as published in The IP Update, Volume 2, Issue 2, December 14, 2015.