Philip Morris USA filed suit in US District Court seeking to block Lorillard from using the letter ‘M’ in its packaging for Newport cigarettes.
Philip Morris USA contends that Lorillard, a subsidiary of Loews Corp, unfairly infringes on Philip Morris' Marlboro brand. It asked the court to find Lorillard in violation of Marlboro's trademark, block the company from using the ‘M’ logo with its Newport cigarettes or any other brand, and to pay compensatory damages, among other demands.
Lorillard, which is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, filed an application in February with the US Patent and Trademark Office to register ‘M Newport Blend’ and ‘M Newport Blend The Way to Chill’ as trademarks. (pi)
Share: