Big Mouse in the House: Disney Trademark Oppositions

Introduction to Disney and Its Iconic Characters

Hiya, pal! Good to see ya! Walt Disney has undeniably created some of the most iconic fictional characters of today. (Dare I say ever?) Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are classics. 

As are the Disney Princesses, such as Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Ariel from the Little Mermaid, and Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which are just a few among the many other princesses Disney has created. Even newer characters like Nemo from Finding Nemo and Woody from Toy Story are a few memorable characters in today’s contemporary culture.

Disney's Characters as Intellectual Property

Iconic characters are not just huge money makers (Mickey Mouse alone is estimated to bring in $5.8 billion annually--yes, billion) for the company the characters are also Disney’s most coveted pieces of intellectual property. Disney protects its characters through trademark and copyright registrations. A trademark will protect a brand name or logo, while a copyright will protect an original work like a book or movie. The owner of a trademark or copyright registration for a character can prevent others from using that character without the owner’s permission.

Disney's Aggressive Approach to Protecting Their Intellectual Property

Given the amount of money at stake, Disney is notorious for protecting their intellectual property. Disney vigorously polices their trademarks in order to ensure that no one is infringing on their valuable intellectual property. The company will not tolerate anyone or any entity attempting to trademark a character or name that is even remotely similar to a character in the Disney brand, and they file numerous trademark oppositions every year opposing trademark applications. And by opposing trademark applications, Disney is attempting to thwart any potential trademark registration.

Importance of Trademark Enforcement in Business

Trademark enforcement is an important part of running a successful business. And even though Disney may be over aggressive at times, Disney attorneys understand that failing to enforce a trademark can seriously hurt their profitability and brand.

Examples of Disney's Trademark Oppositions

Here are some of Disney’s more fascinating trademark oppositions:

(1) Disney's 'Mickey Mouse' vs.Joel Zimmerman's 'Deadmau5' - September 2014

(2) Disney 'Moana' vs. Epic Stone Group Inc.'s 'The Moana' - September 2016

(3) Disney's 'Tommorrowland' vs. ID&T's 'TomorrowLand' -2005

Conclusion

Disney's iconic characters are not just popular but also a significant source of revenue. The company goes to great lengths to protect its intellectual property, including aggressive trademark enforcement. This approach, while sometimes seen as overbearing, is crucial to maintaining the value and integrity of the Disney brand. Some notable instances of Disney's trademark oppositions include cases against 'Deadmau5', 'The Moana', and 'TomorrowLand'.