Time-honored Brands to be Given Boost

Local authorities have rolled out a new initiative to revitalize time-honored brands. A time-honored brand is a title granted by the Ministry of Commerce to enterprises that existed before 1956. The move will encourage the long-established local businesses to enhance reform and innovation in their marketing, business models, distribution channels and brand building, policymakers said. The initiative includes building an operation platform dedicated to traditional brands to increase media exposure and public awareness, local officials said.

Patent Training Held in Provincial Capital

Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan province, held an intellectual property and patents training program in September, attracting hundreds of participants from local IP offices, patent agencies, higher educational institutions and businesses. Experts lectured on development trends in IP services in international trade, insurance policies amid patent commercialization, spotting and fostering high-value patents, and supervision over patent agencies. Henan is home to nearly 1,230 qualified patent attorneys, 80 patent agencies, and 40 patent information service providers.

California Winery Sues Competitor for Trademark Infringement

California-based Sutter Home Winery has sued a wholesaler for allegedly using its trademark to advertise a competing wine. In its complaint, which was filed on October 2 at the US District Court for the Northern District of California, Sutter Home said Tri-Vin Imports (TVI) had been misleading consumers about the origin of its wine. The dispute concerns Sutter Home’s trademark ‘Napa Cellars’ for “wines derived from grapes grown in Napa Country, California”. Its wines are advertised to wine distributors throughout the US, including California, where TVI has allegedly contracted three wineries for the production of Clos de Napa Cellars wine. The filing accuses TVI of advertising its Clos de Napa Cellars wine using Sutter Home’s Napa Cellars trademark, causing confusion among Sutter Home’s consumers and distributors.