Louis Vuitton Advised to “Smile or Laugh”, Not Sue
We have all seen the bumper sticker: My other car is a Porsche.
And the bag: My other bag is a Louis Vuitton.
Do they make you feel any less of Porsche or Louis Vuitton?
A U.S. District Court Judge has found that My Other Bag’s use of Louis Vuitton on its canvas totes does not amount to trademark infringement. “In some cases, it is better to ‘accept the implied compliment in [a] parody’ and to smile and laugh than it is to sue. The decision went on to say that the use of Louis Vuitton’s marks in this way is not likely to cause confusion or blur the distinctiveness of those marks, but would serve to reinforce and enhance their distinctiveness and notoriety.