
Chrysler Group LLC v. Moda Group LLC
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
863 F. Supp. 2d 711 (E.D. Mich. 2012)
Relevant factsFree
Chrysler (plaintiff) ran a widely watched 2011 Super Bowl commercial ending with "IMPORTED FROM DETROIT" and began selling branded T-shirts that sold well, but the very next day, Detroit merchandiser Pure Detroit (defendant) began selling its own "IMPORTED FROM DETROIT" T-shirts; Chrysler sued for trademark infringement and sought a preliminary injunction.
IssueFree
Whether a geographically descriptive advertising slogan can acquire trademark-protectable secondary meaning within the extremely brief period between its debut and a competitor's use of the same phrase.
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