CEDIA Defends ""Electronic Lifestyles"" Trademark, Denies Claims Of Bose Suit

11-Nov-03

Bose Corporation has filed suit in the United States Patent and Trademark Office to cancel CEDIA's four federal trademark registrations for its mark ""Electronic LifestylesÆ."" CEDIA began using ""Electronic Lifestyles"" in 1995 in connection with the association's non-profit activities. In 1998 and 1999, CEDIA received four federal trademark registrations for ""Electronic Lifestyles.""Bose, which is a CEDIA member, markets a line of loudspeakers known as ""LifestyleÆ."" In its suit, Bose claims that CEDIA's ""Electronic Lifestyles"" trademark so resembles Bose's ""Lifestyle"" trademark as to cause confusion. CEDIA denies that confusion exists or is likely, and CEDIA is defending the proceeding vigorously.Ray Lepper, CEDIA's President, said: ""We are extremely disappointed that Bose has taken this drastic action to cancel CEDIA's trademark registrations. CEDIA is a non-profit trade association dedicated to improving our members' businesses and promoting the custom electronic industry. CEDIA does not manufacture or sell loudspeakers--or any physical product under the 'Electronic Lifestyles' trademark. We believe it is ludicrous for Bose to maintain that our trade association's 'Electronic Lifestyles' mark could give rise to confusion based on Bose's 'Lifestyle' line of loudspeakers.""Moreover,"" continued Lepper, ""this association has been built by the long, tireless efforts of thousands of volunteers and sponsors, and to have our trademark challenged in this manner by one of our very own members is very disturbing. To sue one's own association is wholly inconsistent with the spirit of cooperation and sacrifice that is the hallmark of the true CEDIA member.""Billilynne Keller, Executive Director of CEDIA said: ""While other manufacturers are busy donating funds and products to CEDIA, Bose is spending its resources pursuing legal proceedings against our association, causing us to spend untold thousands of dollars of our members' money in legal fees, and wasting staff's time that could be better spent promoting the association and the industry. We would much rather see Bose work for our association, instead of against it."" For more information about CEDIA, visit www.cedia.org.

Read More:
http://www.cedia.org