'CrackBerry' and Originality in Trademark Parodies

In <i>Research in Motion Ltd. v. Defining Presence Marketing Group, Inc. and Axel Ltd. Co.</i>, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board addressed whether Defining Presence Marketing Group and Axel Ltd. could obtain trademark registrations for CRACKBERRY for various goods and services. Research in Motion, producer of the BlackBerry device, opposed the registrations based on a likelihood of confusion and dilution with its BLACKBERRY group of marks.

9 minute read March 29, 2012 at 09:53 AM
By
Timothy Denny Greene
'CrackBerry' and Originality in Trademark Parodies

In Research in Motion Ltd. v. Defining Presence Marketing Group, Inc. and Axel Ltd. Co., Opposition No. 91181076 (T.T.A.B. Feb. 27, 2012), http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-91181076-OPP-8.pdf, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”) addressed whether Defining Presence Marketing Group and Axel Ltd.

This premium content is locked for The Intellectual Property Strategist subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN The Intellectual Property Strategist

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts
Subscribe Now

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Is Your Law Firm’s AI Ready for Answer Engines and Clients?

AI claims are getting more scrutiny and regulators are looking more closely at whether organizations can substantiate what they say their AI does, while courts are beginning to address what happens when AI-generated search summaries get information wrong.

November 01, 2026

When AI Agents Trigger a Crisis, Part 2: Before the Agent Acts

This is the second in a two-part series on AI-driven crises. Part 1 examined communications during an incident while the facts are still developing. Part 2 addresses crisis plans, governance and tabletop exercises before an agent acts on behalf of the business.

November 01, 2026
Centellic Logo

© Copyright 2026 ALM Global, LLC trading as Centellic.

Advertise with Us Customer Support Terms of Service