STARBUCKS CORPORATION v. WOLFE'S BOROUGH COFFEE, INC.
United States District Court, S.D. New York.
December 23, 2011.
A fourth factor — intent to associate — also weighs in Plaintiffs favor, as Defendant's principal testified during trial that, by using the term Charbucks, he meant to evoke an image of dark-roasted coffee of the type offered by Starbucks.
Similarity of the marks and association between the marks are obviously important factors. The statutory language leaves no doubt in this regard — dilution "is association arising from the similarity between a mark or trade name and a famous mark that impairs the distinctiveness of the famous mark." 15 U.S.C. A. § 1125 (c)(2)(B) (West 2009). It is thus appropriate to examine carefully, in considering the significance of both the evidence of similarity and the evidence of actual association, the degree to which any likelihood of dilution by blurring has been shown to arise from similarity between Defendant's marks and those of Plaintiff. As explained above, the marks being compared in this case are only minimally similar as they are presented in commerce, and the evidence of association weighs no more than minimally in Plaintiffs favor.
After considering all of the evidence and noting the dissimilarity of the marks as used in commerce, the weakness of the survey evidence, and the fact that consumers encounter Defendant's Charbucks term only in conjunction with other marks unique to Defendant, the Court holds that the Charbucks marks are only weakly associated with the minimally similar Starbucks marks and, thus, are not likely to impair the distinctiveness of the famous Starbucks marks. In other words, Plaintiff has failed to carry its burden of proving that Defendant's use of its marks, as evidenced on the record before the Court, is likely to cause dilution by blurring.
CONCLUSIONFor the foregoing reasons, the Court finds that Plaintiff has failed to carry its burden of demonstrating its entitlement to relief under the amended FTDA. Plaintiffs request for an injunction is denied. The Clerk of Court is respectfully requested to enter judgment in Defendant's favor and close this case. This Opinion and Order resolves docket entry no. 122.
SO ORDERED.