Question

What is trademark dilution and give an example.

Answer 1

Trademark dilution is a law related concept that allows the owner of the trademark a right to disallow others companies from using its trademark in such a manner that it would negatively impact the unique property of the trademark. Trademark dilution can be defined as the acts that dilutes or weakens the specific character of a particular trademark.

There can be a lot many reasons responsible for dilution of trademark like blurring or tarnishing of the popular trade mark. Mostly it involves an unauthorized usage of another company's trademark on the goods and services that have no close competition. By having no close competition means that the entities have no or little connection with each other.

For example, a famous trademark of a big company in food industry shall be called as diluted if it is used by a different company from no related sector of food industry. Like if the trade mark is used by a company manufacturing soaps.

It is basically done by non- famous companies trying to use trade marks of the famous companies as the gain some advantage of using a famous brand. Since the customers may assume that the two companies are related despite of the different nature of products given or service provided.