'Winter Is Coming' vs 'Sanctions Are Coming': a 'trademark misuse' also in languages other than Dothraki?
A few days ago, on Twitter US President Donald Trump posted an image of himself accompanied by the caption 'Sanctions Are Coming'. One would not understand what the potential IP issues would be with this tweet if they were not also familiar with the successful HBO TV series Game of Thrones and the phrase (repeated so much ad nauseam that it has become an actual trade mark) 'Winter is Coming'. The phrase is in fact registered as a word mark - owned by HBO - both in the US and in the EU for certain goods and services in Classes 25, 35 and 41 of the Nice Classification. The other issue is that the image published by Trump is in the style of Game of Thrones imagery. There is the same gravitas and also the font used for the phrase 'Sanctions Are Coming' is very similar to the one used for Game of Thrones images. Apparently HBO was not thrilled to see the tweet, and responded through the same medium (Twitter), asking: How do you say trademark misuse in Dothraki...