WIPR survey: Readers associate ‘Jaws’ with the famous film

WIPR readers associate the term ‘Jaws’ with the 1975 film of the same name, according to our latest survey.

On March 23, WIPR reported that an online cooking channel had its trademark application for the trademark ‘Jaws’ rejected because people may confuse it with the film.

In a decision handed down by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the term ‘Jaws’ was deemed sufficiently well-known that other applications for the same term would be confusing.

“The trademark examining attorney did submit evidence demonstrating that registrant’s movie ‘Jaws’ is so well-known a movie that it set the standard for summer blockbusters,” the TTAB said.

After we asked readers about the issue, in total 66% said that they immediately associate the term ‘Jaws’ with the film regardless of the class of goods applied for.

“It is a worldwide known movie from the non-internet days,” one reader noted.

“It’s iconic and pervasive. There is a strong association with the term such that there could legitimately be passing off regardless of class of goods/services,” another said.

“Although I know that Jaws is a dictionary word with a specific meaning in English—not directly related to sharks—when I see the word Jaws I immediately think of a shark and the famous movie,” another reader said.

For this week’s survey we ask: “On April 1 the USPTO published new rules governing post-grant proceedings at the PTAB, including allowing patent owners to submit testimonial evidence with their opposition to a petition for review. Do the changes favour patent owners over petitioners? Please explain your answer.”