By Rania V. Sedhom
Luxury brand consumers who are loyalists typically purchase across several categories from one brand.
For example, an Hermès enthusiast may purchase home goods, clothing, shoes, cosmetics, watches, perfume and handbags from the luxury label. Louis Vuitton lovers may do the same and so on.
Will those consumers be confused if the name of a makeup line and the name of a fragrance are similar if offered from different brands?
The United States Patent and Trademark Office thinks so, as it refused to register the marks “Oud Nebula” and “Florae Nebula” for “perfumes; fragrances and perfumery," finding confusion likely with the registered mark Nebula for cosmetics.
The Board found the marks similar in appearance, sound, connotation and commercial impression. The Board stated that perfume is a type of cosmetic and that the products are complementary and often marketed together, sold together in sets and both are applied to enhance beauty.
It further concluded that “there is consumer overlap” as well as an overlap in trade channels, since cosmetics, including perfumes, are sold through retail beauty stores.
The USPTO acknowledged that “makeup artists generally are likely to exercise care in purchasing cosmetics for use in their jobs. It is foreseeable that they may also exercise some degree of care in purchasing cosmetics, including perfume, for their personal use.
“Because makeup and perfume are sold by the same entities under the same mark, sometimes packaged together as a set, makeup artists familiar with Registrant’s NEBULA cosmetics who encounter Applicant’s [marks] perfume and fragrances may mistakenly believe that Registrant is expanding from makeup into a line of perfumes, and expanding from cosmetics for makeup artist work to cosmetics for the general public.”
After a brand obtains a trademark, it must keep the trademark alive by filing a 6-year declaration of use and a 10-year renewal. The renewals are filed every 10 years.
With the USPTO disallowing the term ”Nebula” to be used for perfume by a company different from the one using it for cosmetics, it will be interesting to monitor the USPTO’s decision related to renewals.
For example, are Byredo’s Velvet Haze perfume and Chanel’s Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick similar and, therefore, confusing to makeup artists, especially now that Byredo also sells cosmetics?
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Rania V. Sedhom is managing partner at Sedhom Law Group 
