Hearst Corp., the publisher’s of the well-known women’s magazine “Cosmopolitan”, have filed a $500,000 trademark infringement lawsuit against the developers of a $3 billion Las Vegas resort and casino using the same name.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court of New York, claims that use of the trademarks on the resort is likely to confuse the public into believing that Hearst was involved in developing it or had licensed the Cosmopolitan name.
After the Israel patent office ruled in favor of Virgin Enterprises against a little manufacturer of virgin candles made from olive oil, one can only assume that common words, if addopted as trademarks, can be used to stop anyone and anyone from using them in all circumstances.
Maybe Apple could be used against greengrocers? Levi Strauss could perhaps sue the whole Levitical tribe and if Cosmopolitan is not restricted to magazines, why should any other newspaper or magazine title be?
Perhaps the publishers of Woman, Time, or Mad magazine could sue anyone from using these distinctive words in all categories?
With 3 billion being poured into the casino, one wonders if this is not simply a publicity stunt.
