To:
`
`Subject:
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`Sent:
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`Sent As:
`
`Attachments:
`
`La Soupe, Inc. (trademarks@fbtlaw.com)
`
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 87533157 - LA SOUPE CINCINNATI, OHIO - 0646181
`
`5/11/2018 2:49:44 PM
`
`ECOM113@USPTO.GOV
`
`Attachment - 1
`Attachment - 2
`Attachment - 3
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`*87533157*
`
`GENERAL TRADEMARK
`INFORMATION:
`http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp
`
`VIEW YOUR APPLICATION FILE
`
`U.S. APPLICATION
`SERIAL NO.   87533157
`
`           
`
`MARK: LA SOUPE
`CINCINNATI, OHIO
`
`CORRESPONDENT
`ADDRESS:
`  
`     MATTHEW D.
`DELANEY
`  
`     FROST BROWN
`TODD LLC
`         3300 GREAT
`AMERICAN TWR., 301
`E. 4TH ST.
`         CINCINNATI OH
`45202
`  
`    
`APPLICANT: La Soupe,
`Inc.
`
`    
`
`CORRESPONDENT’S
`REFERENCE/DOCKET
`
`   
`
`NO:     
`
`    0646181
`CORRESPONDENT
`
`E-MAIL ADDRESS:    
`
`   
`trademarks@fbtlaw.com
`
`SUSPENSION NOTICE: NO RESPONSE NEEDED
`
`ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 5/11/2018
`
`5STATUS OF APPLICATION
`
`Pursuant to TMEP §707.03, applicant is advised of the following status of the application.  In an Office action issued on October 24, 2017, the
`following issues were outstanding with this application:
`
`(1)     Section 2(d) Refusal – Likelihood of Confusion
`(2)     Prior-filed Pending Application Requirement
`(3)     Translation Requirement
`(4)     Disclaimer Requirement
`(5)     Color Claim and Mark Description Requirement
`
`On April 23, 2018, applicant responded to the Office action. The examining attorney has determined the following:
`
`(1)  Applicant’s arguments against the Section 2(d) Refusal are unpersuasive, and the refusal is continued and maintained.
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`(2)  Applicant has satisfied the translation requirement.
`
`(3)  Applicant has satisfied the disclaimer requirement.
`
`(4)  Applicant’s amended mark description and mark drawing are acceptable and made of record, and the requirement is satisfied.
`
`(5)  The prior-filed application, Serial No. 87117054, is still pending, and therefore, the application will be suspended pending registration or
`abandonment of the prior-filed application. TMEP §§713.02, 714.04.
`
`Preliminary Response to Applicant’s Arguments
`
`Applicant primarily argues that applicant’s and registrant’s trade channels differ because applicant distributes food directly between
`organizations, while registrant organizes fundraising events. However, these charitable services are not mutually exclusive. Many entities, such
`as those discussed in the initial office action, provide the charitable service of direct food distribution to needy people and organizations that help
`needy people, and organize and conduct charitable fundraising events.
`
`Moreover, the registrant has not limited its trade channels or class of consumers in the identification. The presumption under Trademark Act
`Section 7(b), 15 U.S.C. §1057(b), is that the registrant is the owner of the mark and that use of the mark extends to all services identified in the
`registration. The presumption also implies that the registrant operates in all normal channels of trade and reaches all classes of purchasers of the
`identified services.  In re Melville Corp., 18 USPQ2d 1386, 1389 (TTAB 1991); McDonald’s Corp. v. McKinley , 13 USPQ2d 1895, 1899
`(TTAB 1989); RE/MAX of Am., Inc. v. Realty Mart, Inc., 207 USPQ 960, 964-65 (TTAB 1980); see TMEP §1207.01(a)(iii).
`
`Determining likelihood of confusion is based on the description of the services stated in the application and registration at issue, not on evidence
`of actual use.  See Stone Lion Capital Partners, LP v. Lion Capital LLP, 746 F.3d 1317, 1323, 110 USPQ2d 1157, 1162 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (quoting
`Octocom Sys. Inc. v. Hous. Computers Servs. Inc., 918 F.2d 937, 942, 16 USPQ2d 1783, 1787 (Fed. Cir. 1990)). Therefore, the information from
`registrant’s website does not limit the registrant’s trade channels or class of consumers for purposes of the likelihood of confusion analysis.
`
`Applicant also asserts that there is no known evidence of actual confusion. “‘[A] showing of actual confusion is not necessary to establish a
`likelihood of confusion.’”   In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 866 F.3d 1315, 1322, 123 USPQ2d 1744, 1747 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (quoting Herbko Int’l, Inc.
`v. Kappa Books, Inc., 308F.3d 1156, 1164-65, 64 USPQ2d 1375, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2002)); TMEP §1207.01(d)(ii). Furthermore, three years of co-
`existence is a relatively short time span. Thus, the absence of evidence of actual confusion is not persuasive.
`
`Applicant’s arguments do not overcome the likelihood of confusion refusal, and the refusal is continued and maintained.   
`
`Action Is Suspended
`
`The trademark examining attorney is suspending action on the application for the reason(s) stated below.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.67; TMEP §§716 et
`
`seq.  
`
`The effective filing date of the pending application identified below precedes the filing date of applicant’s application. If the mark in the
`referenced application registers, applicant’s mark may be refused registration under Section 2(d) because of a likelihood of confusion with that
`registered mark. See 15 U.S.C. §1052(d); 37 C.F.R. §2.83; TMEP §§1208 et seq. Therefore, action on this application is suspended until the
`earlier-filed referenced application(s) is either registered or abandoned. 37 C.F.R. §2.83(c). A copy of information relevant to this referenced
`application is attached.
`
`            
`
`- Application Serial No(s). 87117054
`
`No Response Required
`
`The USPTO will periodically conduct a status check of the application to determine whether suspension remains appropriate, and the trademark
`examining attorney will issue as needed an inquiry letter to applicant regarding the status of the matter on which suspension is based.  TMEP
`§§716.04, 716.05.  Applicant will be notified when suspension is no longer appropriate.  See TMEP §716.04.
`
`No response to this notice is necessary; however, if applicant wants to respond, applicant should use the “Response to Suspension Inquiry or
`Letter of Suspension” form online at http://teasroa.uspto.gov/rsi/rsi.
`
`/Marynelle W. Wilson/
`Examining Attorney
`Law Office 113
`Phone: 571-272-7978
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`Email: marynelle.wilson@uspto.gov
`
`PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION:   To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official
`notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at
`http://tsdr.uspto.gov/.   Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen.   If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the
`Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or call 1-800-786-9199.   For more information on checking
`status, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/.
`
`TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form at
`http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.
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`Print: May 11, 2013
`
`81117054
`
`Issue: Jun 5, 2MB
`
`DESIGN MARK
`
`serial Number
`sa111054
`
`Status
`PUBLISHED EoR OPPOSITION
`
`Word Mark
`SoDP
`
`Standard Character Mark
`Yes
`
`Type of Mark
`SERVICE MARK
`
`Register
`PRINCIPAL
`
`Mark Drawing Code
`[4]
`STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
`
`Owner
`BRUTE LABS Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation CALIFORNIA 112 Durham
`Street Menlo Park CALIFORNIA 94025
`
`Goodsmervices
`Class Status -- ACTIVE.
`
`IC 035.
`
`US
`
`100 101 102.
`
`G & S: Business
`
`and marketing consultation services to help establish non-profit
`organizations and programs and to assist non—profit organizations and
`programs in planning, managing, and conducting activities; business
`and marketing consultation services to help establish non-profit
`organizations and programs in the fields of technology, design,r art,
`craftsmanship, and vocational education and to assist non—profit
`organizations and programs in the fields of technology, design, art,
`craftsmanship, and vocational education in planning, managing, and
`conducting activities; promoting public awareness and public advocacy
`to promote awareness in the fields of health, education, poverty,
`development,
`family matters and the environment.
`
`
`
`
`
`GoodsIServices
`Class Status —— ACTIVE.
`
`development.
`
`IC 037.
`
`US
`
`100 103 106.
`
`G & 3: Real estate
`
`GoodsIServiees
`
`G & S: Organizing
`100 101 10?.
`US
`IC 041.
`Class Status —— ACTIVE.
`
`
`and hosuing of events for cultural purposes; arranging, organizing,
`conducting, and hosting social entertainment.
`
`GoodsIServices
`
`

`

`Print: May 11, 2013
`
`81117054
`
`Issue: Jun 5, 2MB
`
`G & S: Consulting
`100 101.
`US
`IC 043.
`Class Status —— ACTIVE.
`
`services in the field of providing temporary housing for people who
`are homeless or at risk of homelessness; providing temporary housing
`accommodations; arranging temporary housing accommodations.
`
`GoodSISe-rvices
`
`G & S: Agricultural
`IC 044.
`Class Status —— ACTIVE.
`US
`100 101.
`
`
`
`advice: providing recommendations or 'ood growing methods.
`
`Filing Date
`ZUlEHOTHZE
`
`Examining Attorneyr
`SMITH, BRIDGETT
`
`Attorney of Record
`Aaron D. Hendelman
`
`

`

`SOUP
`
`

`

`To:
`
`Subject:
`
`Sent:
`
`Sent As:
`
`Attachments:
`
`La Soupe, Inc. (trademarks@fbtlaw.com)
`
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 87533157 - LA SOUPE CINCINNATI, OHIO - 0646181
`
`5/11/2018 2:49:46 PM
`
`ECOM113@USPTO.GOV
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`
`IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`USPTO OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) HAS ISSUED
`ON 5/11/2018 FOR U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO.87533157
`
`Please follow the instructions below:
`
`(1)  TO READ THE LETTER:  Click on this link or go to http://tsdr.uspto.gov/, enter the U.S. application serial number, and click on
`“Documents.”
`
`The Office action may not be immediately viewable, to allow for necessary system updates of the application, but will be available within 24
`hours of this e-mail notification.
`
`(2)  QUESTIONS:  For questions about the contents of the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  For
`technical assistance in accessing or viewing the Office action in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, please e-mail
`TSDR@uspto.gov.
`
`WARNING
`
`PRIVATE COMPANY SOLICITATIONS REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION:  Private companies not associated with the USPTO are
`using information provided in trademark applications to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.  These companies often use names that
`closely resemble the USPTO and their solicitations may look like an official government document.  Many solicitations require that you pay
`
`“fees.”   
`
`Please carefully review all correspondence you receive regarding this application to make sure that you are responding to an official document
`from the USPTO rather than a private company solicitation.  All official USPTO correspondence will be mailed only from the “United States
`Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA; or sent by e-mail from the domain “@uspto.gov.”   For more information on how to handle
`private company solicitations, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/solicitation_warnings.jsp.
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