Nine representatives from Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) offices took part in the International Trademark Association (INTA) 127th Annual Meeting this year which brought together more than 7,000 trademark professionals from around the world.
The meeting, which was held May 14-18, 2005 in San Diego, California, USA, presented educational programs that provided a global view of current trademark law and other related issues.
AGIP Domain Name Registration Officer, Mr. Mahmoud Lattouf who attended this year’s meeting, said, “We met our clients, exchanged expertise, and learned from the informative programs offered at the meeting.”
Mr. Mark Roesler, CMG Worldwide chairman and CEO, discussed the complexities of the use of celebrities in advertisements and other commercial purposes in his keynote speech at the meeting.
Roesler’s presentation covered the complex and evolving laws that regulate the use of celebrities (both alive and dead) in advertisements and other commercial purposes.
Amid a broad range of educational programs, a special track on “Trademarks in Entertainment” was offered, which enabled participants to learn about product placement (and misplacement) in movies, merchandising famous brands, character licensing, use of celebrity endorsers, sports marketing, ambush marketing, and marketing to children.
A full complement of breakout sessions relating to the following industries were featured: food and beverages, toys, entertainment and sports, pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, motor vehicles, chemicals, petroleum and refineries, cosmetics and consumer goods, apparel and accessories, telecommunications, and computers.
The popular annual review session on federal case law and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) developments, as well as an annual review of international case law, were offered. The meeting also included programs on geographical indications, the link between the Community Trade Mark System and the Madrid Protocol, trademark ethics, and much more.
AGIP’s delegation consisted of Mr. Luay T. Abu-Ghazaleh, Ms. Jude Abu Tayeh, Mr. Mahmoud Lattouf, Mr. Nabil Salame, Mr. Motasem Abu-Ghazaleh, Mr. Samer Pharaon, Ms. Afaf Shashaa, Mr. Amjad Husseini, and Mr. Aamir Khan.