Dr. Seuss, in what amounts to that esteemed author’s short story collection “Sneetches and Other Stories,” is a tale entitled “Too Many Daves.” It seems to have come true in the United Kingdom, where a digital television channel and a marketing firm are battling over its use as a trademark.
The marketing firm, actually described as a branding consultancy by Yahoo, which took note of the altercation, began using the name Dave back in 2003. Interestingly, despite the fact that it was in the business of advising its clients on topics that included how to protect their brand, it never got around to protecting its own brand in the form or registering it as a trademark.
Digital television channel UKTV, a programmer targeting Britain’s young men, began using the name in 2007 and did try to trademark it despite being second comer in terms of actually using the moniker.
According to Yahoo, the EU Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market ruled in favor of the branding company. UKTV may not use Dave for broadcasting, advertising, production or distribution either over the air or over the internet. It is allowed to use it, however, on items such as magnets and stationary.
UKTV has the right to appeal the ruling.
RBR-TVBR observation: We have an editor named Dave. And in fact, I am that editor. Our executive editor Jack (who has had his own run-ins with a format of the same name, not to mention our beloved family dog) has suggested that maybe I will want to get in on this too. And maybe Dave Letterman will join in. Not to mention Super Dave. And we can’t forget the Dave Clark Five. Where do we all go to file our amicus briefs?
