PLAYBOY
ENTERPRISES, INC.
v.
UNIVERSAL
TEL-A-TALK, INC., ADULT DISCOUNT TOYS, and STANLEY HUBERMAN
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT
COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Civil Action No. 96-6961
November 2, 1998
Filed: November 3, 1998
MEMORANDUM OF DECISION
McGlynn, J.
Plaintiff, Playboy Enterprises,
Inc. ("PEI") filed this action on October 2, 1996, alleging trademark
infringement and related causes of action under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §§
1114-1125 and Pennsylvaniašs anti-dilution law, 54 Pa.C.S.A. § 1124, et seq.
at defendantšs web site "adult-sex.com/playboy." The Court entered a
temporary restraining order and later a consent decree enjoining the defendants
use of PEI's trademarks. Thereafter, te complaint was amended to include a
counterfeiting claim under 15 U.S.C. § 1116(d).
The matter came here for a final
hearing and bench trial on October 8th and 13th, 1998
Upon consideration of the
evidence and the briefs and arguments of counsel, the court makes the following
FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Plaintiff Playboy
Enterprises, Inc. (PEI), is a Delaware corporation having offices at 730 Fifth
Avenue, New York, New York and a principal place of business in Chicago,
Illinois.
2. Defendant Universal
Tel-A-Talk, Inc. is a Pennsylvania corporation having a principal place of
business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Defendant Stanley Huberman is the
president and sole shareholder.
3. Defendant Adult Discount Toys
is a business entity having a principal place of business in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania and is owned by defendant Stanley Huberman.
4. Defendant Stanley Huberman is
a citizen and resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
5. Since 1953, PEI has published
Playboy magazine. Playboy magazine is read by approximately 10
million readers each month and is published worldwide in 16 international
editions.
6. Playboy magazine is
known for its display of erotic and provocative pictorials of PEI models and
adult entertainment material.
7. PEI and its licenses have
sold a wide variety of merchandise; such as, wearing apparel, cosmetics,
sunglasses, watches, and other personal accessories under the trademark PLAYBOY,
in interstate commerce, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
8. PEI is the owner of a number
of U.S. trademark registrations for the mark PLAYBOY, including the following
registrations: U.S. Reg. No. 600,018 (monthly magazine); U.S. Reg. No. 1,040,491
(sunglasses); U.S. Reg. No. 1,308,905 (watches and clocks); U.S. Reg. No.
1,328,611 (clothing articles, including ties, t-shirts and visors); U.S. Reg.
No. 1,320,822 (footwear); and U.S. Reg. No. 755,301 (cigarette lighters).
9. Over the years, PEI has sold
merchandise bearing the PLAYBOY trademark. Through its licensees, products
bearing the PLAYBOY trademark are sold throughout the United States and in more
than 50 countries around the world. PEI and its licensees have and continue to
spend considerable time and money promoting the PLAYBOY trademark. As a result
of PEIšs longstanding use of the PLAYBOY trademark, the PLAYBOY trademark has
become well known and has developed a secondary meaning, such that the public
has come to associate it with PEI.
10. In addition to the PLAYBOY
trademark, PEI also utilizes a Rabbit Head Design trademark (hereafter the
"RABBIT HEAD DESIGN") in connection with Playboy magazine and a
wide variety of goods sold by PEI and/or its licensees. Since 1954, PEI has used
the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark in connection with Playboy magazine. The
RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark traditionally appears in the masthead of Playboy
magazine. PEI has also use the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN in connection with a wide
variety of merchandise and services.
11. PEI also owns a number of
U.S. trademark registrations for the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark, including U.S.
Reg. No. 643,926 (monthly magazine); U.S. Reg. No. 871,533 (billfolds, pocket
secretaries and card cases); U.S. Reg. No. 1,058,294 (sunglasses); U.S. Reg. No.
759,207 (cuff links, tie tacks, earrings, necklaces, key chains, bracelets and
pins); U.S. Reg. No. 728,889 (ties and menšs and womenšs shirts); U.S. Reg.
No. 1,276,287 (clothing articles, including hats, caps and t-shirts); U.S. Reg.
No. 764,819 (perfume).
12. In addition to the PLAYBOY
trademarks and RABBIT HEAD DESIGN, the mark "BUNNY" has been
registered by PEI with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
13. PEI is the owner of U.S.
Trademark Registration No. 810,555 for the mark BUNNY.
14. Over the years, PEI has sold
merchandise bearing the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark. Through its licensees, products
bearing the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark are sold throughout the United States and in
more than 50 countries around the world. Products bearing the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN
mark are available worldwide by mail order catalog and through PLAYBOY specialty
boutiques, department stores, art galleries and museum shops. PEI and its
licensees have spent considerable time and money promoting products bearing the
RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark nationwide and throughout the world. As a result of PEIšs
longstanding use of the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark, the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark has
become famous and has developed significant goodwill and secondary meaning, such
that the public has come to associate it exclusively with PEI.
15. As a result of PEIšs use
and promotion of the RABBIT HEAD DESIGN mark, the mark BUNNY has also become
associated with PEI in connection with adult entertainment services. Indeed, the
RABBIT HEAD DESIGN trademark is commonly referred to by the public as the "Playboy
Bunny."
16. The Internet is an
international computer "super-network" of over 15,000 computer
networks which is used by 30 million or more individuals, corporations,
organization and educational institutions worldwide. Users of the Internet can
access each others computers, can communicate directly with each other (by means
of electronic mail or "e-mail"), and can access various types of data
and information. Each Internet user has an address, consisting of one or more
address components, which address is otherwise commonly referred to within the
Internet as a "domain" or "domain name."
17. Domain names serve as an
address for sending and receiving e-mail and for posting information or
providing other services. On the Internet, a domain name serves as the primary
identifier of the source of information, products or services. It is common
practice for companies to form internet domain names by combining their trade
names or one of their famous trademarks as a prefix and their business category
as a suffix. The suffix ".com" (usually pronounced "dot com")
identifies a service provider as commercial in nature.
18. The domain name is one
component of the "Uniform Resource Locator" ("URL"). The URL
may also include root directories and subdirectories which serve as a guide to
the contents of a Web site.
19. In August, 1994, PEI
launched http://www.playboy.com on the Internet on the World Wide Web. The
website currently receives approximately six million "hits" a day. The
trademark http://www.playboy.com offers access to some of PEIšs copyrighted
images and other contents from Playboy magazine and other PEI
publications. Http://www.playboy.com has also been registered with the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office.
20. PEI also operates http://cyber.playboy.com,
a subscription and pay per visit website (the "PLAYBOY CYBER CLUB")
which allows members access to individual PLAYMATE home pages, video clips from
PLAYMATE home pages, video clips from PLAYBOY home video and PLAYBOY TV and
contents of Playboy magazine.
21. Both http://www.playboy.com
and http://cyber.playboy.com are used by PEI to promote subscriptions to its
monthly Playboy magazine, to display erotic pictorials of PEI models, and
to advertise and sell PEIšs merchandise and other services under PEIšs
trademarks. PEIšs websites prominently feature the PEI trademarks PLAYBOY and
RABBIT HEAD DESIGN, as well as photographs, articles of interest, PEI
merchandise, videos and subscription information for Playboy magazine.
PEIšs Website contains electronic versions of Playboy magazine in that
it displays the contents of Playboy magazine on-line. An Internet user is
able to view the contents of Playboy magazine by visiting www.playboy.com
or the PLAYBOY CYBER CLUB.
22. Defendant Universal
Tel-A-Talk, Inc. created and is maintaining several Internet World Wide Web
sites which may be accessed throughout the United States, including the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
23. On or about October 2, 1996,
PEI learned that Universal Tel-A-Talk, Inc. was using PEI's registered
trademarks PLAYBOY and BUNNY in conjunction with their website to advertise
on-line a collection of photographs, which both plaintiff and defendant describe
as "hard core." However, neither side has defined that term, at least
on this record, except as a modifier of the term sexually explicit photographs.
24. Defendant Universal
Tel-A-Talk, Inc.'s website advertises and offers a subscription service called
"Playboy's Private Collection" (located at http://www.adult-sex.com
hereafter "Defendant's website") for a charge of $3.95 per month,
which features hard core photographs. The PLAYBOY trademark is prominently
featured in defendant's website. Defendants also used the term "Bunny"
on the navigation bar of the introductory screens and web pages. When a user
clicks onto one of six "Bunny" segments of the navigation bar on the
introductory page, the user becomes connected to another level of hard core
on-line services offered by Defendants.
25. A subscriber to defendants'
"Playboy's Private Collection" service is greeted by a "home page"
which is the equivalent of the cover and table of contents page of a magazine in
that it displays the name of the site and a menu of information that is
available for review. A subscriber to defendants' Playboy subscription service,
upon assessing the URL "adult-sex.com/playboy/members" is welcomed by
defendants' home page which reads: "Welcome to PLAYBOY'S PRIVATE COLLECTION."
Defendants' website http://www.adult-sex.com is an on-line collection of "hard
core" photographs sold under the PLAYBOY and BUNNY trademarks and portrayed
as an extension of PEI's Playboy magazine. Defendants' unlawful use of
the PLAYBOY trademark also appears at least twice on every printed page.
"Playboys Private Collection" appears on the upper left-hand corner
and the URL "adult-sex.com/playboy/members/pictures" appears in the
right-hand corner.
26. Subscribers can then "click"
onto a portion of the home page that reads: "Let me see the pictures in
Playboys Private Collection" and obtain a lengthy list of hard core
photographs on a variety of topics which may be viewed on screen, downloaded to
disk or printed.
27. Defendants also provided an
electronic mail address which utilizes the PLAYBOY trademark in the text of
defendants' website. The home page of defendants' service invites subscribers to
"Send E-mail to Playboy@adult-sex.com."
28. Defendant has also "linked"
their adult-sex website to PEI's website at "Playboy.com." A
"link" is a connection from one website to another.
29. Defendants are not now and
never have been authorized by PEI to use the PLAYBOY trademark or the BUNNY
trademark in connection with any business or service.
30. Defendants consented to the
entry of a Preliminary Injunction on Consent on November 29, 1996.
31. Defendants had 1,363
subscribers to its adult-sex.com website between July 13, 1990 and October 12,
1996.
32. Defandants used the terms
PLAYBOYS PRIVATE COLLECTION and PLAYBOY in connection with the adult-sex.com
website for approximately three (3) months.
33. Defendant Huberman
personally made the decision to use the term PLAYBOY in connection with the
adult-sex.com website and authorized its implementation in the website.
Defendant Huberman personally made the decision to use the term BUNNY in
connection with the adult-sex.com website and authorized its implementation in
the website.
34. Defendant Universal
Tel-A-Talk was on-line for only four months -- July 1996 to October 1996.
35. The contents of Plaintiff's
website during this period of time did not display the words "Registered in
U.S. Patent and Tradamark Office" or "Reg. - U.S. Pat. TM Off" or
the letter R enclosed in a circle.
36. Plaintiff did not prove any
actual loss or injury.
37. Defendant Universal
Tel-A-Talk, Iost money on the operation of its website.
DISCUSSION
This is a civil action for
trademark infringement, false designation of origin, dilution and trademark
counterfeiting under the Trademark Act of 1946, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§
1051-1127; trademark infringement and unfair competition under the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, and dilution under the statutory law of Pennsylvania, 54 Pa.
C.S.A. § 1124 et seq.
PEI has alleged infringement of
the PLABOY trademark under Section 32 of the Lanham Act (Count I), Section 43(a)
of the Lanham Act (Count II) and the common law of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania (Count IV). The test for infringement is the same for each count,
namely, whether the alleged infringement creates a likelihood of confusion. See
Scott Paper Co. v. Scott's Liquid Gold, 589 F.2d 1225 (3d Cir. 1978).
In order to succeed on the
merits, a plaintiff must establish that: (1) the marks are valid and legally
protecable; (2) the marks are owned by the plaintiff; and (3) the defendants'
use of the marks to identify goods or services is likely to create confusion
concerning the origin of the goods and services." Opticians Ass'n v.
Independent Opticians, 920 F.2d 187, 192 (3d Cir. 1990).
The trademark PLAYBOY has
attained incontestable status pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §1065. PEI's ownership of
incontestable U.S. registrations for the PLAYBOY trademark constitutes prima
facia evidence of PEI's ownership of the PLAYBOY trademark and the validity of
the mark, Opticians Ass'n v. Independent Opticians, 920 F.2d at 194,
In determining whether a
likelihood of confusion exists, the court may take into account
(1) the degree of similarity
between the owner's mark and the alleged infringing mark; (2) the strength of
owner's mark; (3) the price of the goods and other factors indicative of the
care and attention expected of consumers when making a purchase; (4) the
length of time the defendant has used the mark without evidence of actual
confusion arising; (5) the intent of the defendant in adopting the mark; (6)
the evidence of actual confusion; (7) whether the goods, though not competing,
are marketed through the same channels of trade and advertised through [sic]
the same medium: (8) the extent to which the targets of the parties' sales
efforts are the same; (9) the relationship of the goods in the minds of the
public because of the similarity of function; (10) other facts suggesting that
the consuming public might expect the prior owner to manufacture a product in
the defendant's market.
Scott Paper Co. v. Scott's
Liquid Gold, supra at 1229.
Defendants' use of the words
"Playboy" and "Bunny" in their website and in the identifying
directories of defendants' URL's are identical to PEI's registered trademarks
PLAYBOY and BUNNY. PEI's registered tradrmarks have previously been adjudicated
as very strong. See, Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. Chuckleberry Pub. Inc.,
687 F.2d 563 (2d Cir. 1982). Suggestive marks are entitled to protection without
proof of secondary meaning. See e.g., Dominion Bankshares Corp. v. Devon
Holding Co., Inc., 690 F. Supp. 338, 345 (E.D, Pa. 1988); American
Diabetes Assn. v. National Diabetes Ass'n, 214 U.S.P.Q. 231, 233 (E.D. Pa.
1981).
Even if secondary meaning were
reqired, PEI has established that the PLAYBOY trademark and the RABBIT HEAD
DESIGN trademark for adult entertainment goods and services have became famous,
and have acquired significant secondary meaning, such that the public has come
to associate these tradmarks with PEI.
Defendants intentionally adopted
PLAYBOY and BUNNY tradamarks in an effort to capitalize on PEI's established
reputation in the PLAYBOY and RABBIT HEAD DESIGN marks. This is evidenced by
defendant's establishment of a "link" between their website and PEI's
actual PLAYBOY website at "Playboy.com" and their appropriation of the
words "Playboy'' and "Bunny" to advertise their own on-line
service.
Evidence of actual confusion is
not required. It has long been recognized that because evidence of confusion Is
notoriously difficult to obtain, it is not necessary to find a likelihood of
confusion, See, e.g., Coach Leatherware Co. v. Ann Taylor, Inc., 933 F.2d
162 (2d Cir. 1991); Lois Spatsware U.S.A., Inc. v. Levi Strauss & Co.,
631 F. Supp. 735, 743 (S.D.N.Y.), aff'd, 799 F2d 867 (2d Cir. 1986); Brookum
Co. v. Blaylook, 729 F. Supp 438, 445 (E.D. Pa. 1990) (lack of evidence of
actual confusion is not a bar to injunctive relief). PEI and defendant market
their services through the same channel of trade: the Internet. The consuming
public is likely to believe that PEI is connected with defendants' hard core.
With respect to the dilution
claim, dilution refers to the lessening of a mark's distinctiveness, factors to
be considered by the Court are: (1) similarity of the marks; (2) similarity of
the products covered by the marks; (3) sophistication of customers; (4)
predatory intent; (9) renown of senior mark; 16) renown or the junior mark; (7)
the duration and extent of advertising of the mark; (8) the geographical extent
of the trading area in which the mark is used; and (9) the nature and extent of
the use of the mark by third parties," 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c)(1); Wawa,
Inc. v. Haaf, 40 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1629 (E.D. Pa. 1996) (citing Mead Data, Inc.
v. Toyota Motor Sales, 875 F.2d 1026, 1035 (2d Cir. 1989) (Sweet, J.
Concurring)). Applying the foregoing factors, the Court concludes that PEI has
established its dilution claims with respect to the PLAYBOY trademark.
PEI has also alleged that
defendants' activities constitute counterfeiting of PEI's registered trademark
PLAYBOY in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 1116(d), In order to prove counterfeiting,
a plaintiff must establish that the defendant (1) infringed a registered
trademark in violation of 15 U.S.C. §1114(1)(a). (2) intentionally use the
trademark knowing it was counterfeit or was willfully blind to such use. 15
U.S.C. §§ 1116(d), 1117(b); Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Brown, No.
95-15954, 1996 U.S. App LEXIS 21373 (9th Cir. Aug, 12, 1996); Babbitt
Electronics, Inc. v. Dynascan Corporation, 38 F.3d 1161, 1181 (11th Cir.
1994); Interstate Battery System v. Wright. 811 F. Supp. 237, 244-45 (N.D.
Tex. 1993).
"Counterfeiting is the act
of producing or selling a product with a sham trademark that is an intentional
and calculated reproduction of the genuine trademark."" 3 J. THOMAS
McCARTHY, McCARHY ON TRADEMARKS §25:10 (36 ed. 1997), A ''counterfeit mark"
means:
a counterfeit mark that is
registered on the principal register in the United Statss Patent and Trademark
Office for such goods or services sold, offered for sale, or distributed and
that is in use, whether or not the person against whom relief is sought knew
such mark was so registered.
15 U.S.C. §1116(d)(l)(B)(I); See
Electronic Laboratory Supply Co. v. Motorola, Inc., Civ. No. 88-4494, 1989
U.S. Dist LEXIS 16475, *6 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 20, 1989).
A "counterfeit" is a
"spurious mark which is identical with, or substantially indistinguishable
from, a registered mark." 15 U.S.C. §1127; Babbitt Electronics, supra
at 1181.
Defendant Huberman contends that
he cannot be held personally liable because he was acting as an officer of
defendant Universal Tel-A-Talk and that it is defendant Univenal Tel-A-Talk
which committed the infringing acts complained of by PEI. However, the law is
clear that "[a] corporate officer is "individualIy liable for the
torts he commits and cannot shield himself behind a corporation when he is an
actual participant in the tort." Donseco, Inc. v. Casper Corp., 587
F.2d 602, 606 (36 Cir. 1978).
This principle is applicable in
cases brought under the Lanham Act. See, e.g., Donseco at 606 (unfair
competition); Max Daetwyler Corp. v. Input Graphics, Inc., 541 F. Supp.
115 (E.D. Pa 1982) (false advertising); Polo Fashions, Inc. v. BDB, Inc.,
273 U.S.P.Q. 43,44 (D.S.C. 1983) (counterfeiting).
The liability of a corporate
officer who actively participates in the infringing acts is "distinct from
the liabillry resulting tfrom the 'piercing of the corporate veil' as that term
is commonly used." Donseco, 587 F.2d at 609; BDB, Inc. 223
U.S.P.Q. at 44. Moreover, "it is immaterial whether the officer knows that
his acts will result in an infringement" Polo Fashions, Inc. v. Branded
Apparel Merchandising, Inc., 592 F. Supp. 848, 652-53 (D. Mass. 1984).
The defendant Huberman actively
participated in the infringing acts. Although Huberman did not physically type
the html code for the website, he did make the decision to use the mark PLAYBOY
and BUNNY and approved of all work done by Mr. Merkel on the website. In
addition, Huberman approved all requests for subscriptions to the PLAYBOYS
PRIVATE COLLECTION service.
The Lanham Act provides that a
prevailing plaintiff who establishes infringement of its registered tradmark is,
subject to the principles of equity, entitled to recover (1) profits; (2)
plaintiff's actual damages; and (3) costs of the action. 15 U.S.C. §1117(a); see
Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. v. Ozark Trading, Inc., 952 F.2d 44, 47 (3d Cir. 1991);
Automated Tool & Connector Co. v. Amphanol Corp., Civ. No. 96-3249,
1997 U.S. Dist LEXIS 22720, *1 (D.N.J. Nov. 17, 1997) (permitting accounting of
profits even when defendant is "'innocent" infringer). Here,
defendants did not have any profits and plaintiff has failed to prove actual
damages.
Nevertheless, when a violation
of 15 U.S.C, §1116(d) is involved, plaintiff may elect to statutory damages.
Statutory damages for counterfeiting are (1) not less than $500 or more than
$100,000 per countefeit mark per type of goods or services sold; or (2) if the
Court finds that the use of the counterfeit mark was willful, not more than
$1,000,000 per counterfeit mark per type of goods or services sold. IS U.S.C. §1117(c).
Defendants' use of PEI's
registered trademark PLAYBOY in connection with the sale and offering for sale
of adult entertainment images on the PLAYBOYS PRIVATE COLLECTION portion of
defendant's adult-sex.com website is a is a counterfeit use under 15 U.S.C. §1116(d)
and §1117(d) entitling plaintiff to an award of statutary damages.
Trademark policies are designed
to "(1) to protect consumers from being misled as to the enterprise or
enterprises, from which the goods or services emanate or with which they are
associated; (2) to prevent an impairment of the value of the enterprise which
owns the trademark; and (3) to achieve these ends in a manner consistent with
the objectives of free competition." Intel Corp. v. Terabyte
International, Inc., 6 F.3d 614, 618 (9th Cir, 1993) (quoting Anti
Monopoly, Inc. v. General Mills Fun Group, 611 F.2d 296, 300-01 (9th Cir.
1979).
To the extent this discussion
contains findings of fact not specifically mentioned under that headings they
are to be regarded as though they were.
Accordingly, the Court arrives
at the following
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
1. This court has
jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action. 15 U.S.C.
§1121, 28 U.S.C. §1331, 28 US.C. §1332 and 18 U.S.C. §1338.
2. Defendants have infringed on
Plaintiff's PLAYBOY trademark.
3. Defendants have violated the
anti-dilution provision of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1125(c) and Pennsylavia's
anti-dilution provision statute, 54 Pa.C.S. §1125.
4. Defendants' activities
constituted counterfeiting of plaintiff's registered trademark in violation of
15 U.S.C, §1116(d).
5. PEI is entitled to judgment
against Universal Tel-A-TaIk and Stanley Huberman.
6. Defendant Adult Discount Toys
is entitled to Judgment against plaintiff PEI.
7. PEI is entitled to recover
statutory damages, reasonable counsel fees and costs.
8. PEI is entitled to an
injunction permanently enjoining Universal Tel-A-Talk and Stanley Huberman from
using the PLAYBOY trademark as more specifically spelled out in a seperate order
filed herewith.
9. The court awards statutory
damages in the amount of $10,000.
10. Plaintiff is entitled to
recover reasonable attorney's fees.
Entered: 11/4/98.
Clerk of Court
FOOTNOTES: FN1. As noted below,
there is no evidentiary basis for holding Adult Discount Toys liable for the
events that are at isue here. Accordingly, Adult Discount Toys will be dismissed.
Hereinafter, the use of the word "defendants" applies only to
Universal Tel-A-Talk and Stanley Huberman.
PLAYBOY
ENTERPRISES, INC.
v.
UNIVERSAL
TEL-A-TALK, INC., ADULT DISCOUNT TOYS, and STANLEY HUBERMAN
IN
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Civil Action No. 96-6961
November 2, 1998
Filed: November 3, 1998
ORDER
AND NOW, this 2nd day
NOVEMBER, 1998, it is hereby
ORDERED that Judgment is entered
in favor of the plaintiff Playboy Enterprises, Inc., and against the defendants
Universal Tel-A-Talk, Inc. and Stanley Huberman in the amount of $10,000,
jointly and severally.
It is further ORDERED that
Judgment is entered in favor of the defendant Adult Discount Toys and against
the plaintiff Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
BY THE COURT:
JOSEPH L. McGLYNN, JR.
ENTERED: 11/4/98
CLERK OF COURT
PLAYBOY
ENTERPRISES, INC.
v.
UNIVERSAL
TEL-A-TALK, INC., ADULT DISCOUNT TOYS, and STANLEY HUBERMAN
IN
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Civil Action No. 96-6961
November 2, 1998
Filed: November 3, 1998
MEMORANDUM OF DECISION
AND NOW, this 2nd day
of November 1998, in accordance with the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
filed herewith, it is hereby ORDERED: 1. Defendants, Tel-A-Talk and Stanley
Huberman, their agents, servants, employees, successors, attorneys, and all
those subject to their control are hereby ENJOINED from using the PLAYBOY
trademarks or any colorable facsimile thereof in connection with their business,
products, services or Web site and from providing a link to Plaintiff's Web site
"Playboy.com."
2. Defendants, their agents,
emplyees, successors, attorneys and alI persons in active concert and
participation with it or them, are hereby ENJOINED from:
(a) using in any manner the
PLAYBOY Trademarks or any term or terms likely to cause confusion therewith as
Defendants' domain name, directory, or other such computer address, as the
name of their Web site service, on their home page, on computer diskettes or
in connection with the retrieval of data or information or on other goods or
services, or promotion thereof so long as such goods or services do not
emanate from or originate with PEI;
(b) using any manner the
PLAYBOY Trademarks in connection with Defendants' goods or services in such a
manner that is likely to create an erroneous belief that said goods or
services are authorized by, sponsored bp, licensed by or are in some way
associated with PEI;
(c)disseminating, using or
distributing in any Web site pages or other promotional materials whose
appearance so resembles the Web site pages used by PEI as to create a
likelihood of confusion, mistake or deception; or
(d) linking Defendants' Web
site or services to PEI's Web site at "Playboy.com"; e) otherwise
engaging in any other acts or conduct which would cause consumers to
erroneously believe that Defendants' goods or services are somehow sponsored
by, authorized by, licensed by, or in any other way asaassociated with PEI.
3. Defendants, their officers,
agents, servants, employees, attorneys, parent companies, subsidiaries and
related companies and all persons acting for, with, by, through or under them,
are ENJOINED from diluting the distinctive quality of the PLAYBOY Trademarks.
BY THE COURT
JOSEPH L. McGLYNN, JR.
ENTERED: 11/4/98
CLERK OF COURT
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