Luxco, Inc. v. Consejo Regulador del Tequila, A.C.

This Opinion is Not a

Precedent of the TTAB

Mailed: January 30, 2017

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

_____

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

_____

Luxco, Inc.

v.

Consejo Regulador del Tequila, A.C.

_____

Opposition No. 91190827

_____

Michael R. Annis of Husch Blackwell LLP,

for Luxco, Inc.

Lawrence E. Abelman and Marie-Anne Mastrovito of Abelman, Frayne & Schwab,

for Consejo Regulador Del Tequila, A.C.

NOTICE OF CORRECTION

_____

By the Board:

On January 23, 2017, the Board issued a final decision in connection with the

above noted opposition. The posted decision had three typographical errors that must

be corrected.

There were two typographical errors in footnote 29. The proper footnote reads as

follows:

Opposition No. 91190827

Section 2(e)(2) of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. §

1052(e)(2), reads in pertinent part that “No trademark by

which goods of the applicant may be distinguished from the

goods of others shall be refused registration on the

principal register on account of its nature unless it . . . (e)

Consists of a mark which, . . . (2) when used on or in

connection with the goods of the applicant is primarily

geographically descriptive of them, except as indications

of regional origin may be registrable under Section

1054 of this title.” (Emphasis added).

The Appendix setting forth the record incorrectly states the mailing date of the

decision as November 25, 2016.

A corrected copy of the Board’s final decision is attached.

Opposer’s time for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action regarding the

Board’s decision continues to run from the mailing date of the January 23, 2017

decision. See Trademark Rule 2.145(d)(1), 37 C.F.R. §2.145(d)(1).

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This Opinion is a

Precedent of the TTAB

Hearing: September 12, 2016 Mailed: January 23, 2017

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

_____

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

_____

Luxco, Inc.

v.

Consejo Regulador del Tequila, A.C.

_____

Opposition No. 91190827

_____

Michael R. Annis of Husch Blackwell LLP,

for Luxco, Inc.

Lawrence E. Abelman and Marie-Anne Mastrovito of Abelman, Frayne & Schwab,

for Consejo Regulador Del Tequila, A.C.

_____

Before Kuhlke, Bergsman and Adlin,

Administrative Trademark Judges.

Opinion by Bergsman, Administrative Trademark Judge:

Consejo Regulador del Tequila, A.C. (“Applicant”) seeks registration on the

Principal Register of the certification mark TEQUILA (in typed drawing form) for

“distilled spirits, namely, spirits distilled from the blue tequilana weber variety of

Opposition No. 91190827

agave plant,” in Class A. 1 The application includes the certification statement set

forth below:

The certification mark “Tequila”, as used by persons

authorized by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila, A.C.

(“CRT” or “Certifier”), certifies that (1) the goods are

manufactured in Mexico from a specific variety of the blue

agave plant grown in certain regions of Mexico as defined

by Mexican law and standards; (2) the goods are

manufactured in Mexico in compliance with Mexican law

and standards including fermentation, distillation, aging,

the percentage of blue agave sugars and physical- chemical

specifications; and (3) the finished product is or contains

within it the goods manufactured in accordance with (1)

and (2) above. 2

Luxco, Inc. (“Opposer”) opposed the registration of Applicant’s certification mark

on the grounds that (I) Tequila is a generic term for a type of distilled spirits, (II)

Applicant has allowed others to use the term Tequila for purposes other than as a

certification mark, (III) Applicant “does not now and cannot control the use of the

term ‘tequila’ in the United States,” (IV) Applicant itself produces and markets

Tequila, (V) Applicant has failed to police the use of the term Tequila and has allowed

others to use Tequila for purposes other than to certify, and (VI) fraud. 3

In its Brief, Opposer argued the claims that Tequila is generic (Count I), that

Applicant has not and cannot exercise legitimate control over the use of the term

1 Application Serial No. 78286762 was filed on August 13, 2003, based upon Applicant’s claim

of first use anywhere and in commerce since at least as early as January 1, 1995. Prior to

November 2, 2003, “standard character” drawings were known as “typed” drawings. A typed

mark is the legal equivalent of a standard character mark. TMEP § 807.03(i) (October 2016).

2 June 26, 2009 Post-Publication Amendment.

3 59 TTABVUE. For consistency of presentation in this opinion, and in view of our ultimate

finding that the mark is entitled to registration, we use Tequila unless quoting an evidentiary

source that refers to “tequila.”

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Opposition No. 91190827

Tequila (Count III), and fraud (Count VI). Opposer did not pursue the claims that

Applicant allowed others to use Tequila for purposes other than as a certification

mark (Counts II and V) and that Applicant itself produces and markets Tequila

(Count IV). Accordingly, Counts II, IV, and V are deemed waived. See Alcatraz Media

v. Chesapeake Marine Tours Inc., 107 USPQ2d 1750, 1753 n.6 (TTAB 2013), aff’d

mem., 565 Fed. Appx. 900 (Fed. Cir. 2014).

Applicant, in its Answer, denies the salient allegations in the Notice of Opposition.

I. Evidentiary Issue

The parties have lodged numerous objections. None of the evidence sought to be

excluded is outcome determinative. Moreover, the Board is capable of weighing the

relevance and strength or weakness of the objected-to testimony and evidence,

including any inherent limitations. For the reasons discussed in the attached

appendix, we find no basis on which to strike any testimony or other evidence. As

necessary and appropriate, we will point out any limitations in the evidence or

otherwise note that the evidence cannot be relied upon in the manner sought. We

have considered all of the testimony and evidence introduced into the record. In doing

so, we have kept in mind the various objections raised by the parties and we have

accorded whatever probative value the subject testimony and evidence merit.

II. The Record

The record is presented in the attached appendix, which includes our discussion

of evidentiary issues raised by the record.

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Opposition No. 91190827

III. The Parties

A. Opposer

Since 1958, Opposer has imported and bottled alcoholic beverages, including

Tequila and distilled spirit specialties containing Tequila. 4 Opposer does not distill

spirits; it purchases distilled spirits from others, including bottled spirits ready for

further distribution. 5 In other words, Opposer imports Tequila in bulk (for later

bottling) and in bottles. 6

Q. Can you describe what types of manufacturing

operations that [Opposer] performs on the bulk

tequila it purchases?

A. In terms of straight bulk, it is the addition of water,

filtration, and put it in a bottle. In terms of products

containing tequila, it would be tequila and other

ingredients such as other spirit products, other

flavorings to make what we refer to as a distilled

spirit specialty in many cases and in -- put into a

bottle and ready for distribution. 7

In short, Opposer supplies distilled spirits and sells its finished products to other

distributors. 8

4 Bratcher Dep., pp. 7-9 (147 TTABVUE 8-10).

5 Id.

6 Bratcher Dep., p. 13 (147 TTABVUE 14).

7 Bratcher Dep., p. 15 (147 TTABVUE 26); Streepy Dep. p. 11 (148 TTABVUE 12).

8 Bratcher Dep., pp. 10-11 (147 TTABVUE 11-12); Streepy Dep., p. 11 (148 TTABVUE 12).

The regulations for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) of the U.S.

Department of Treasury prohibit Opposer from selling directly to retailers. Bratcher Dep. p.

11 (147 TTABVUE 12). The TTB is “the regulating agency in the United States for the

distribution of all spirits products, wine and beer,” including the approval of labels. Bratcher

Dep., p. 21 (147 TTABVUE 22). Thus, the labels on the bottles of Tequila sold by Opposer, as

well as its distilled specialty spirits, must be approved by the TTB. Id.

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Opposition No. 91190827

Opposer purchases its Tequila from Destiladora Gonzalez & Gonzalez and La

Madrilena, 9 both of which are Mexican Tequila suppliers. 10 Applicant certifies that

all the Tequila that Opposer imports in bulk and in bottles is authentic Tequila in

accordance with Mexican law. 11 Opposer files quarterly reports with Applicant “to

show the bulk that was imported in the United States, what brands it was used in.” 12

Applicant maintains a registry of authorized bottlers of Tequila in the United

States. 13

B. Applicant

Applicant “is a [non-profit] civil association and it is [a] private body accredited

and approved according to Mexican laws to carry out activities of evaluation of the

conformity, mainly about the production of tequila.” 14 The National Directorate of

Norms has approved Applicant as “a unit of verification, as a test lab and a body of

certification, the activity of evaluation and [to] certify the tequila.” 15 Applicant “is the

only body accredited and approved to evaluate the NOM [Mexican Official Standard]

9 Bratcher Dep., p. 15 (147 TTABVUE 16).

10 Id.

11 Bratcher Dep., p. 60 (147 TTABVUE 61).

12 Bratcher Dep., p. 17 (147 TTABVUE 18).

13 Bratcher Dep., p. 43 (147 TTABVUE 44).

14 Cruz Dep, p. 8 (170 TTABVUE 10). See also Cruz Dep. pp. 12-13, 15-16 (170 TTABVUE 14-

15, 17-18). However, it is “the Mexican state” that owns “the denomination origin tequila.”

Cruz Dep., pp. 53-54 (170 TTABVUE 55-56); Cruz Dep. p. 56-57 (170 TTABVUE 58-59)

(Applicant does not authorize use of the word Tequila; “It is the Mexican government in that

in which way issues the authorization, so that a private individual can make use of the

denomination of the origin of tequila.”).

15 Cruz Dep., p. 16 (170 TTABVUE 18).

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Opposition No. 91190827

of the tequila.” 16 It is responsible for ensuring “that what is commercialized as tequila

fulfills the official Mexican norm of tequila.” 17

Applicant’s membership includes agave producers, producers/manufacturers,

bottlers and distributors of Tequila, a representative of the Mexican Institute of

Industrial Property, the General Director of Norms and Standards, the Secretary of

Health, and the Secretary of Agriculture, Cattle and Rural Developments, Fish and

Food. 18

Q. Do the CRT members have an interest ensuring

compliance with the Mexican NOM for tequila?

A. Yes because with that they make sure of the

authenticity of the tequila, the origin of the tequila,

the quality of the tequila and the safety of the

tequila.

And with that they make sure the health of the

customer, the production and the chain is benefitted

because the product is certified and it gives certainty

to the authorities that the tequila is a quality

product and it is a distinctive product from Mexico. 19

IV. Standing

Standing is a threshold issue which plaintiffs must prove in every inter partes

case. To establish standing in an opposition or cancellation proceeding, a plaintiff

16 Cruz Dep., p. 26 (170 TTAVUE 28). See also Cruz Dep., pp. 55-56 (170 TTABVUE 57-58).

The NOM is the Mexican Official Standard that “establishes the characteristics and

specifications that all constituents of the Tequila producti[on], industrial and commercial

chain must meet, with respect to the processes referred to in the [Tequila specifications].”

Official Mexican Standard NOM-006-SCI-2005, Alcoholic Beverages-Tequila-Specifications

(102 TTABVUE 113 at 117).

17 Cruz Dep., pp. 68-69 (170 TTABVUE 70-71).

18 Cruz Dep., pp. 8-9 (170 TTABVUE 10-11). See also Cruz Dep., p. 71 (170 TTABVUE 73)

19 Cruz Dep., p. 16 (170 TTABVUE 17).

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Opposition No. 91190827

must show “both a ‘real interest’ in the proceedings as well as a ‘reasonable basis’ for

its belief of damage.” Empresa Cubana Del Tabaco v. Gen. Cigar Co., 753 F.3d 1270,

111 USPQ2d 1058, 1062 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (quoting ShutEmDown Sports, Inc., v. Lacy,

102 USPQ2d 1036, 1041 (TTAB 2012)); Ritchie v. Simpson, 170 F.3d 1092, 50

USPQ2d 1023, 1025 (Fed. Cir. 1999); Lipton Indus., Inc. v. Ralston Purina Co., 670

F.2d 1024, 213 USPQ 185, 189 (CCPA 1982). The Court of Appeals for the Federal

Circuit has enunciated a liberal threshold for determining standing in Board

proceedings. Ritchie, 50 USPQ2d at 1030.

To prove its standing to oppose the registration of an allegedly generic term, a

plaintiff may show it is engaged in the manufacture or sale of the same or related

goods as those listed in the defendant’s application; that is, that plaintiff is in a

position to use the term in a descriptive or generic manner. Frito-Lay N. Am., Inc. v.

Princeton Vanguard, LLC, 109 USPQ2d 1949, 1951 (TTAB 2014), vacated and

remanded on other grounds, 786 F.3d 960, 114 USPQ2d 1827 (Fed. Cir. 2015); Sheetz

of Del., Inc. v. Doctor’s Assocs. Inc., 108 USPQ2d 1341, 1350 (TTAB 2013).

Opposer imports and bottles distilled spirits, including Tequila, and bottles spirits

containing Tequila as an ingredient, the latter being known in the industry as a

“distilled spirit specialty.” 20 For example, Opposer sells JUAREZ brand Tequila and

a JUAREZ brand distilled spirit specialty comprising triple sec and Tequila, as well

as SALVADOR’S MARGARITA, a premixed margarita containing Tequila. 21

20 Bratcher Dep., p. 20 (147 TTABVUE 21).

21 Bratcher Dep., pp. 23 and 27 (147 TTABVUE 24 and 28).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Opposer, in its Reply Brief, contends that its use of Tequila in connection with the

distilled spirit specialty products does not comply with the Mexican Official Standard

for Tequila. 22 Opposer asserts that, upon registration, Applicant will have the ability

to interfere with Opposer’s use of the term Tequila in connection with its distilled

spirit specialty products. 23 In essence, Opposer asserts that the registration of the

certification mark would provide Applicant with rights it does not currently possess

to control Opposer’s use of the term Tequila in connection with products containing

“distilled spirits, namely, spirits distilled from the blue tequilana weber variety of

agave plant.” 24

Applicant argues that Opposer lacks standing because Opposer may not use the

term Tequila unless the product has been certified as Tequila by Applicant. 25 In this

regard, David Bratcher, testified that spirits classified as Tequila must have their

origin in Mexico 26 and that Applicant certifies as authentic Tequila the product from

Opposer’s suppliers. 27

As admitted by [Opposer], any use of the term TEQUILA

on an alcoholic beverage that is not certified by [Applicant]

is prohibited by the law in the U.S. Therefore, unless

[Opposer] intends to violate the law, it has no ‘reasonable

22 173 TTABVUE 14 (citing Bratcher Dep., p. 59 (147 TTABVUE 60) (“In conjunction with

products containing tequila, the NOM and what’s required from the federal government of

the United States, the TTB differ.”)).

23 173 TTABVUE 14.

24 173 TTABVUE 14.

25 Applicant’s Brief, p. 23 (172 TTABVUE 29).

26 Bratcher Dep., p. 49 (147 TTABVUE 50).

27 Bratcher Dep., p. 60 (147 TTABVUE 61).

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Opposition No. 91190827

basis in fact’ to believe that it will be ‘damaged’ by the

granting of the registration requested by [Applicant]. 28

Applicant’s argument is essentially that its registration of the certification mark

TEQUILA does not change the commercial environment surrounding the

importation, bottling, distribution and sale of Tequila. However, Applicant’s

argument does not address the fact that if the mark is registered, Applicant will not

only have the authority to control the use of the TEQUILA mark by others in

connection with Tequila based on its purported common law certification mark but

registration will entail a new layer of protection and authority under the Trademark

Act, to which Opposer must answer, that does not currently exist. See Sections 2, 4,

7, 32, 34, 42, and 45 of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1052, 1054, 1057, 1114, 1116,

1124, and 1127. For example, registration will afford it the protection of the

presumptions set forth in Section 7(b).

In view of the foregoing, we find that Opposer has a real interest in the outcome

of the proceeding and a reasonable basis to believe that it would be damaged by the

registration of the TEQUILA certification mark and, therefore, Opposer has

established its standing. Once Opposer proves its standing on one ground, it has the

right to assert any other grounds in an opposition. See Corporacion Habanos SA v.

Rodriquez, 99 USPQ2d 1873, 1877 (TTAB 2011) (because petitioners alleged standing

as to at least one ground, primarily geographically deceptively misdescriptive, they

may assert any other legally sufficient claims including those under Section 2(a), the

28 Applicant’s Brief, p. 23 (172 TTABVUE 29).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Pan American Convention and fraud); Enbridge, Inc. v. Excelerate Energy LP, 92

USPQ2d 1537, 1543 n.10 (TTAB 2009).

V. Certification marks

“Certification mark” is defined in Section 45 of the Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1127:

The term “certification mark” means any word, name,

symbol, or device, or any combination thereof—

(1) used by a person other than its owner, or

(2) which its owner has a bona fide intention to permit a

person other than the owner to use in commerce and files

an application to register on the principal register

established by this chapter,

to certify regional or other origin, material, mode of

manufacture, quality, accuracy, or other characteristics of

such person’s goods or services or that the work or labor on

the goods or services was performed by members of a union

or other organization.

Section 4 of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1054, provides:

Subject to the provisions relating to the registration of

trademarks, so far as they are applicable, collective and

certification marks, including indications of regional

origin, shall be registrable under this chapter, in the same

manner and with the same effect as are trademarks, by

persons, and nations, States, municipalities, and the like,

exercising legitimate control over the use of the marks

sought to be registered, even though not possessing an

industrial or commercial establishment, and when

registered they shall be entitled to the protection provided

in this chapter in the case of trademarks, except in the case

of certification marks when used so as to represent falsely

that the owner or a user thereof makes or sells the goods or

performs the services on or in connection with which such

mark is used. Applications and procedure under this

section shall conform as nearly as practicable to those

prescribed for the registration of trademarks.

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Opposition No. 91190827

In this opposition, TEQUILA purportedly is used to certify, inter alia, that the

distilled spirits are manufactured in Mexico. As noted in Cmty of Roquefort v. William

Faehndrich, Inc., 303 F.2d 494, 497, 133 USPQ 633, 635 (2d Cir. 1962):

A geographical name does not require a secondary meaning

in order to qualify for registration as a certification mark.

It is true that section 1054 provides that certification

marks are “subject to the provisions relating to the

registration of trademarks, so far as they are applicable....”

But section 1052(e)(2), which prohibits registration of

names primarily geographically descriptive, specifically

excepts “indications of regional origin” registrable under

section 1054. 29 Therefore, a geographical name may be

registered as a certification mark even though it is

primarily geographically descriptive.

See also Tea Bd. of India v. Republic of Tea Inc., 80 USPQ2d 1881, 1899 (TTAB 2006)

(“we consider DARJEELING inherently distinctive as a certification mark indicating

geographic origin as it inherently identifies the geographic source of the tea.”). Thus,

a geographically descriptive term used or intended to be used as a certification mark

is capable of identifying and distinguishing the geographic origin of the goods at issue.

Also, the mark must be made available, without discrimination, “to certify the goods

… of any person who maintains the standards or conditions which such mark

certifies.” Section 14(5)(D) of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. §1064(5)(D). See also

Cmty of Roquefort, 133 USPQ at 635.

29 Section 2(e)(2) of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1052(e)(2), reads in pertinent part that

“No trademark by which goods of the applicant may be distinguished from the goods of other

shall be refused registration on the principal register on account of its nature unless it . . . (e)

Consists of a mark which, . . . (2) when used on or in connection with the goods of the applicant

is primarily merely descriptive of them, except as indications of regional origin may be

registrable under Section 1054 of this title.” (Emphasis added).

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Opposition No. 91190827

A geographic certification mark is not used by the owner of the mark; rather, the

owner of the certification mark controls how others use the mark. The users apply

the mark to the goods to indicate to consumers that the goods have been certified as

meeting the standards set forth by the certifier (i.e., the owner of the mark). Thus,

the goods to which a geographic certification mark is applied may emanate from a

number of sources comprising various certified producers in the relevant region.

TMEP § 1306.05(a) (October 2016).

VI. Whether Tequila is a generic term for a type of distilled spirits?

A. Applicable law for determining whether a term is generic.

It is Opposer’s burden to establish that Applicant’s mark is generic by a

preponderance of the evidence. Princeton Vanguard, LLC v. Frito-Lay N. Am., Inc.,

786 F.3d 960, 114 USPQ2d 1827, 1830 n.2 (Fed. Cir. 2015); Magic Wand Inc. v. RDB

Inc., 940 F.2d 638, 19 USPQ2d 1551, 1554 (Fed. Cir. 1991) (“Magic Wand had the

burden to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the primary significance of

the TOUCHLESS mark to the relevant public is the automobile washing service

itself, rather than a washing service provided by a particular entity.”); Tea Bd. of

India, 80 USPQ2d at 1887 (TTAB 2006).

There is a two-part test used to determine whether a designation is generic: “First,

what is the genus of goods or services at issue? Second, is the term sought to be

registered or retained on the register understood by the relevant public primarily to

refer to that genus of goods or services?” Princeton Vanguard, 114 USPQ2d at 1830

(quoting H. Marvin Ginn Corp. v. Int’l Ass’n of Fire Chiefs, Inc., 782 F.2d 987, 228

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Opposition No. 91190827

USPQ 528, 530 (Fed. Cir. 1986)). This test applies to certification marks with the

caveat that a certification mark identifying geographic origin will not be deemed to

be a generic term if it retains its ability to designate geographic source.

A certification mark used to certify regional origin as well

as qualities and characteristics associated with the origin

will not be deemed to have become a generic term as

applied to particular goods unless it has lost its significance

as an indication of regional origin for those goods. See

Institut National Des Appellations d’Origine v. Brown-

Forman Corp., 47 USPQ2d 1875 (TTAB 1998). This can

occur when, by virtue of a failure to control the mark, the

mark is used on goods which originate somewhere other

than the place named in the mark, or on nongenuine goods,

or through otherwise uncontrolled use, but only if as a

result of such misuse, the mark has come to primarily

signify a type of goods with certain characteristics, without

regard to regional origin and the methods and conditions

for growing it. See Community of Roquefort v. Faehndrich,

Inc., [198 F.Supp. 291, 131 USPQ 435 (S.D.N.Y. 1961),

aff'd, 303 F.2d 494, 133 USPQ 633 (2d Cir. 1962)]; and In

re Cooperativa Produttori Latte E Fontina Valle D'Aosta,

230 USPQ 131 (TTAB 1986).

Tea Bd. of India, 80 USPQ2d at 1887. 30

30 At the oral hearing, Opposer’s counsel challenged this interpretation of the law and

asserted that the proper interpretation of the law is a determination of the primary

significance of the term at issue and not whether the term has lost its significance as a

designation of geographic origin. However, it is clear that unlike a trademark that identifies

and distinguishes a single source, a certification mark appears on the products of several

“sources” which are certified so as to designate geographic origin. As such, the focus cannot

be on what the primary meaning of the term is to consumers and whether that meaning is

geographic or non-geographic. Certification marks of regional origin can have both meanings

to consumers. Instead, the focus must be whether the certification mark has lost its

significance as a designation of geographic origin. In many instances the product is called by

the term comprising the certification mark, not because the term represents the genus of the

goods but because the term represents the collective products from that region that are

controlled by the certifier.

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Opposition No. 91190827

The public’s perception is the primary consideration in determining whether a

term is generic. Loglan Inst. Inc. v. Logical Language Grp. Inc., 902 F.2d 1038, 22

USPQ2d 1531, 1533 (Fed. Cir. 1992); Tea Bd. of India, 80 USPQ2d at 1887. Evidence

of the public’s understanding of a term may be obtained from any competent source,

including testimony, surveys, dictionaries, trade journals, newspapers and other

publications. Loglan Inst., 22 USPQ2d at 1533; Dan Robbins & Assocs., Inc. v.

Questor Corp., 599 F.2d 1009, 202 USPQ 100, 105 (CCPA 1979); Tea Bd. of India, 80

USPQ2d at 1887.

B. The genus of the goods.

The category of goods is distilled spirits; specifically, “spirits distilled from the

blue tequilana weber variety of agave plant.” Magic Wand, 19 USPQ2d at 1552 (“[A]

proper genericness inquiry focuses on the description of services set forth in the

certificate of registration.”). See also In re Trek 2000 Int’l Ltd., 97 USPQ2d 1106, 1112

(TTAB 2010) (“the genus of goods at issue in this case is adequately defined by

applicant’s identification of goods . . . .”). 31

C. The relevant public.

The second part of the genericness test is whether the relevant public understands

the designation primarily to refer to that class of goods. The relevant public for a

31 Because Opposer identified purchasers of hard liquor as the universe of respondents for its

consumer survey, discussed infra, and Opposer’s argument, in its Reply Brief, that “there is

no such thing as ‘TEQUILA Agave Spirits’” (173 TTABVUE 9), we assume that Opposer

identifies the genus as hard liquor products or spirits in general, rather than “spirits distilled

from the blue tequilana weber variety of agave plant.” Nevertheless, it is “spirits distilled

from the blue tequilana weber variety of agave plant,” a subcategory of hard liquor, that is

at issue in this proceeding.

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Opposition No. 91190827

genericness determination is the purchasing or consuming public for the identified

products (i.e., “spirits distilled from the blue tequilana weber variety of agave plant”).

Magic Wand, 19 USPQ2d at 1553 (citing In re Montrachet S.A., 878 F.2d 375, 11

USPQ2d 1393, 1394 (Fed. Cir. 1989)); In re Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, & Smith,

Inc., 828 F.2d 1567, 4 USPQ2d 1141, 1143 (Fed. Cir. 1987); H. Marvin Ginn Corp.,

228 USPQ at 530; Dan Robbins & Assocs., Inc., 202 USPQ at 105 (CCPA 1979). The

relevant public, therefore, is purchasers of “spirits distilled from the blue tequilana

weber variety of agave plant.” See In re Newbridge Cutlery Co., 776 F.3d 854, 113

USPQ2d 1445, 1449 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (“the relevant public is the purchasing public in

the United States of these types of goods.”). Purchasers of hard liquor or distilled

spirits per se is too broad because a purchaser of one kind of distilled spirits (e.g.,

single malt Scotch whisky) may not be a purchaser of “spirits distilled from the blue

tequilana weber variety of agave plant.” 32

D. Public perception.

1. Federal Regulations 33

As of 1969, 27 C.F.R. § 5.21(h) provided that Tequila was a generic term. 34

32 For purposes of the relevant analysis, Donn Lux, Opposer’s Chairman and CEO, is

incorrect in his opinion that the relevant public includes “anybody who knows about any kind

of spirit products. It could be a distributor, it could be a retailer, it could be somebody who

doesn’t drink at all, it could be somebody in a restaurant. The relevant public, to me, that

means anybody and everybody.” Lux Discovery Dep., p. 28 (101 TTABVUE 31).

33 Pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 5301, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized “to regulate the

kind, size, branding, marketing, sale, resale, possession, use and reuse of containers . . .

designed or intended for use for the sale of distilled spirits . . . for other than industrial use.”

34 Opposer’s second notice of reliance, Exhibits A-E (88 TTABVUE 9-25). See also McMonagle

Dep., Exhibit 1 (128 TTABVUE 65 at 67).

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Opposition No. 91190827

(h) Class 8. Geographical designations.

(2) Only such geographical names for distilled spirits as the

Administrator finds have by usage and common knowledge

lost their geographical significance to such extent that they

have become generic, shall be deemed to have become

generic. The following are examples of distinctive types of

distilled spirits with geographical names that have become

generic: London dry gin, Geneva gin, Hollands gin,

Tequila. 35

See also Federal Register, Vol 34, No. 248 (December 30, 1969) which reads, in

pertinent part as follows:

It is believed that the inclusion of the requirement

concerning raw materials used and a requirement that the

product possess the taste, aroma, and characteristics

generally attributed to “Tequila” will afford sufficient

protection to the consumer without limiting the product to

a geographic origin. 36

However, in 1973, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco

and Firearms (“BATF,” now the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”))

recognized Tequila as a distinctive product of Mexico. 37

Explanation of Amendments

The purpose of these amendments is to change the official

standard of identity for Tequila to make Tequila a

35 Opposer’s second notice of reliance, Exhibit A (88 TTABVUE 9).

36 Opposer’s second notice of reliance, Exhibit E (88 TTABVUE 23-24).

37Opposer’s second notice or reliance, Exhibit F (88 TTABVUE 27). The current federal

regulation regarding geographic designations, 27 C.F.R. § 5.22(k)(2), does not include

Tequila. It reads as follows:

Only such geographical names for distilled spirits as the

appropriate TTB officer finds to have by common usage and

common knowledge lost their geographical significance to such

extent that they have become generic shall be deemed to have

become generic. Examples are London dry gin, Geneva

(Hollands) gin.

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Opposition No. 91190827

distinctive product of Mexico. This will mean that after

these amendments become effective, the term “Tequila”

may not be used commercially in the United States to

describe any product not manufactured in Mexico in

compliance with the applicable laws of that country. This

is identical to the protection already afforded to such terms

as “Cognac”, “Scotch whiskey”, “Irish whiskey”, and

“Canadian whiskey”. 38

See 27 C.F.R. § 5.22 which sets forth the “standards of identity” for distilled spirits,

including Tequila.

(g) Class 7; Tequila. “Tequila” is an alcoholic distillate from

a fermented mash derived principally from the Agave

Tequilana Weber (“blue” variety), with or without

additional fermentable substances, distilled in such a

manner that the distillate possesses the taste, aroma, and

characteristics generally attributed to Tequila and bottled

at not less than 80° proof, and also includes mixtures solely

of such distillates. Tequila is a distinctive product of

Mexico, manufactured in Mexico in compliance with the

laws of Mexico regulating the manufacture of Tequila for

consumption in that country. 39

See also 27 C.F.R. § 5.42 which prohibits bottle labels from containing any false

statements (e.g., labeling a product as Tequila that is not from Mexico).

§ 5.42 Prohibited practices.

(a) Statements on labels. Bottles containing distilled

spirits, or any labels on such bottles, or any individual

covering, carton, or other container of such bottles used for

sale at retail, or any written, printed, graphic, or other

matter accompanying such bottles to the consumer shall

not contain:

(1) Any statement that is false or untrue in any particular,

or that, irrespective of falsity, directly, or by ambiguity,

omission, or inference, or by the addition of irrelevant,

38 Id.

39 See also McMonagle Dep. Exhibit 1 (128 TTABVUE 65 at 68) (“This standard of identity

remains in effect in current US regulations.”).

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Opposition No. 91190827

scientific or technical matter, tends to create a misleading

impression.

Thus, the TTB is charged with regulating the sale of distilled spirits in the United

States. TTB has classified Tequila as a distinctive product of Mexico and it prohibits

bottles from being labeled Tequila if the distilled spirit is not manufactured in Mexico

in compliance with the laws of Mexico. TTB regulations are probative in determining

whether a term is distinctive or generic. See Institut National Des Appellations

D'Origine v. Vintners Int’l Co., 958 F.2d 1574, 22 USPQ2d 1190, 1196 (Fed. Cir. 1992)

(“Support for this ‘generic’ determination is found in . . . BATF regulations.”). Thus,

those in the trade presumptively are aware that Tequila is distilled and exported only

from Mexico and that distilled spirits labeled as Tequila are controlled by an arm of

the Mexican government. David Bratcher, Opposer’s President and Chief Operating

Officer testified that spirits classified as Tequila must have their origin in Mexico 40

and that Applicant certifies as authentic Tequila the product from Opposer’s

suppliers. 41 However, just because the regulations of the TTB recognize Tequila as

having geographic significance does not establish how Tequila is perceived by

purchasers of Tequila, other than those subject to or otherwise aware of those rules

and regulations, or that end consumers would perceive Tequila to be a distilled spirit

that comes from Mexico. See also Institut National Des Appellations D'Origine, 22

USPQ2d at 1195 (because “Chablis” has some geographic significance does not

establish how American consumers of wine perceive it). Compare Tea Bd. of India, 80

40 Bratcher Dep., p. 49 (147 TTABVUE 50).

41 Bratcher Dep., p. 60 (147 TTABVUE 61).

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Opposition No. 91190827

USPQ2d at 1895 (TTAB 2006) (it is not reasonable to conclude from the survey that

those who did not identify Darjeeling as a tea from India did not know it was a tea

from India).

2. Dictionary definitions of the word Tequila, encyclopedia entries

and other information sources.

a. Allwords.com derived from Wiktionary.org

An alcoholic beverage from the fermented juice of the

Central American century plant Agave tequilana. 42

b. Cambridge English Dictionary

(Cambridge.org/us)

A strong alcoholic drink originally from Mexico. 43

c. Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(1913)

An intoxicating liquor made from the maguey in the

district of Tequila, Mexico. 44

d. Dictionary.com based on The Random House

Dictionary (2015)

A strong liquor from Mexico, distilled from fermented mash

of an agave. 45

42 Opposer’s second rebuttal notice of reliance (122 TTABVUE 6). See also Wikitionary.org

(122 TTABVUE 11-12). This is the verbatim definition from Yahoo Online Education

Dictionary based on the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th

ed. 2000) relied on by Dr. Ronald Butters in his expert report. Butters Dep., Exhibit 1 (130

TTABVUE at 105).

43 Opposer’s second rebuttal notice of reliance (122 TTABVUE 8).

44 Applicant’s seventh notice of reliance (109 TTABVUE 8).

45 Applicant’s seventh notice of reliance (109 TTABVUE 10). See also Random House

Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary (2nd ed. 1986) (109 TTABVUE 14); Butters Dep., Exhibit 1

(130 TTABVUE at 106).

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Opposition No. 91190827

e. Webster’s Third New International

Dictionary of the English Language

Unabridged (1971)

A Mexican liquor made by redistilling mescal. 46

f. New Oxford American Dictionary (2nd ed. 2005)

A Mexican liquor made from an agave. 47

g. John Mariani, The Dictionary of American

Food and Drink (1994)

tequila. A liquor distilled from the Central American blue

agave … plant. The name comes from the Tequila district

of Mexico, where the best tequila traditionally is made. The

word first printed in English in 1849, and the Bureau of

Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms recognized tequila as a

distinctive product of Mexico in September 1975. 48

h. Dictionary of Wines and Spirits (1980)

Tequila . . . this is a Mexican drink, made by fermenting

the cooked hearts or ‘pines’ of the Maguey, or Agave

tequilano. … 49

i. Wikipedia

Tequila . . . is a regional specific name for a distilled

beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the

area surrounding the city of Tequila . . . northwest of

Guadalajara, and in the highlands (Los Altos) of the north

western Mexican state of Jalisco . . . .

* * *

46 Applicant’s seventh notice of reliance (109 TTABVUE 18). See also Butters Dep., Exhibit 1

(130 TTABVUE at 106).

47 Butters Dep., Exhibit 1 (130 TTABVUE at 105).

48 Butters Dep., Exhibit 1 (130 TTABVUE at 106).

49 Applicant’s ninth notice of reliance (111 TTABVUE 36).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Mexican laws state that tequila can only be produced in the

state of Jalisco and limited municipalities in the states of

Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. 50

j. Encyclopaedia Britannica (2005)

tequila

distilled liquor, usually clear in colour and unaged, that is

made from the fermented juice of the Mexican agave plant,

. . . The beverage, which was developed soon after the

Spaniards introduced distillation to Mexico, is named for

the town of Tequila in the Mexican state of Jalisco where it

is produced. 51

k. Webster’s Collegiate Encyclopedia (2010)

tequila Distilled liquor, usually clear in color and unaged,

made from the fermented juice of the Mexican agave plant

. . . [i]t was developed soon after the Spaniards brought

distillation to Mexico, and is named from the town of

Tequila. 52

Of the eight dictionary definitions made of record, five define Tequila as an

alcoholic beverage from Mexico (e.g., strong liquor from Mexico, Mexican liquor, made

from the maguey in the district of Tequila, Mexico, etc.), two identify Mexico as the

origin of Tequila, and one simply identifies Tequila as an alcoholic beverage. Two of

the encyclopedia entries identify Tequila as an alcoholic beverage from Mexico and

one identifies Mexico as the origin of Tequila. Despite the fact that these references

do not expressly state that Tequila is distilled exclusively in Mexico, they tend to

50 Applicant’s seventh notice of reliance (109 TTABVUE 20).

51 Applicant’s seventh notice of reliance (109 TTABVUE 32). See also Butters Dep., Exhibit

1 (130 TTABVUE at 110).

52 Butters Dep., Exhibit 1 (130 TTABVUE at 110-111).

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Opposition No. 91190827

show that consumers would perceive that Tequila is a Mexican alcoholic beverage. 53

See Blackhorse v. Pro-Football, Inc., 111 USPQ2d 1080, 1085 n.15 (TTAB 2014)

(dictionary definitions with a usage characterization may be evidence of the general

perception of a term), aff’d Pro-Football, Inc. v. Blackhorse, 113 USPQ2d 1749 (E.D.

Va. 2014); Tea Bd. of India, 80 USPQ2d at 1895.

Opposer also introduced the relevant prosecution history of 21 third-party

applications, of which nine subsequently registered, where the USPTO required that

the applicant disclaim the exclusive right to use the term Tequila on the ground that

53 Our finding of fact differs from that of Dr. Butters, Opposer’s expert linguist. According to

Dr. Butters “the basic - - the dictionary meaning, the meaning of tequila is an alcoholic liquor

distilled or made from plant juice, basic ingredient is century plant, agave.” Butters Dep., p.

34 (130 TTABVUE 35). Although “there’s a general association of tequila with Mexico . . . it’s

ambiguous as to whether this is in any way exclusive.” Butters Dep., p. 36 (130 TTABVUE

37). Dr. Butters focused on “the meaning of tequila as appropriate for a dictionary meaning”

(Butters Dep., p. 22 (130 TTABVUE 23)), while we focus on what consumers of Tequila take

away from the dictionaries and other reference works. According to Dr. Butters,

The meaning is the definition [distilled liquor], then the

relationship to Mexico is real-world information or etymological

information, not part of the meaning, and indeed it is part of the

meaning that the encyclopedia - - part of a description of tequila

that the reader is given assuming that this is stuff that the

reader might not know.

Butters Dep., p. 45 (130 TTABVUE 46).

Also, Dr. Butters likened the definitions of Tequila to the definitions of vodka. Butters Dep.

p. 39 (130 TTABVUE 40). However, the definitions of Tequila are more akin to the definitions

of Cognac (e.g., a kind of brandy that is made in France, high-quality brandy . . . from Western

France), a recognized geographic indicator. See Dictionary.com based on the Random

House Dictionary (2016), Merriam-Webster (merriam-webster.com), Cambridge

Academic Content Dictionary (Cambridge.org/us), and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

The Board may take judicial notice of dictionary definitions, including online dictionaries and

encyclopedias that exist in printed format. In re Cordua Rests. LP, 110 USPQ2d 1227, 1229

n.4 (TTAB 2014), aff’d 823 F.3d 594, 118 USPQ2d 1632 (Fed. Cir. 2016); B.V.D. Licensing

Corp. v. Body Action Design Inc., 846 F.2d 727, 6 USPQ2d 1719, 1721 (Fed. Cir. 1988);

Threshold.TV Inc. v. Metronome Enters. Inc., 96 USPQ2d 1031, 1038 n.14 (TTAB 2010).

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Opposition No. 91190827

it is a generic term. 54 Tequila was identified in the description of goods in eight of the

registered marks. “Such third party registrations show the sense in which the word

is used in ordinary parlance and may show that a particular term has descriptive

significance as applied to certain goods or services.” Institut National Des

Appellations D'Origine, 22 USPQ2d at 1196. See also TMEP §1306.05(c) (the fact that

the term is commonly used to identify goods or services in third-party registrations

may further support the conclusion that it is viewed in the relevant marketplace as

generic, rather than as an indication of geographic origin). On the other hand, all of

the registrants for marks consisting in part of the word Tequila are approved by

Applicant as selling authentic Tequila. 55 Also, there is no evidence regarding how the

54 91-93 TTABVUE.

55Applicant’s response to Opposer’s interrogatory No. 15 (95 TTABVUE 14). See also

Applicant’s response to Opposer’s request for admission No. 14 admitting that “some U.S.

entities which sell certified TEQUILA include the word TEQUILA in their brand name.” (95

TTABVUE 30).

The prosecution history of the Application is in accord with Applicant’s interrogatory

response and admission. In the July 28, 2006 Office Action, the Trademark Examining

Attorney reviewing the subject application for TEQUILA noted that there were “close” to 50

registrations including the word Tequila and required Applicant to state whether the

registrants were authorized users of the mark. In its February 1, 2007 response, Applicant

provided lists of certified producers and authorized bottlers and stated that the owners of the

registrations cited by the Examining Attorney “appear to be certified users.” The Trademark

Examining Attorney was not satisfied with Applicant’s response and required Applicant to

“conclusively establish legitimate control over use of the mark” by submitting “evidence to

show that all of the cited Registrations that include the proposed mark are owned or

controlled by certified users.” July 23, 2007 Office Action. In its January 23, 2008 Response,

Applicant submitted “evidence showing its legitimate control over the use of TEQUILA in

substantially all of the cited registrations.” In the March 28, 2008 Office Action, the

Trademark Examining Attorney required Applicant to prove that three additional

registrants and one applicant were authorized users. Applicant submitted the requested

evidence in its September 30, 2008 Response. For purposes of examination, the USPTO was

satisfied that all of the registrations for Tequila marks were related to Tequila authorized by

Applicant. Pursuant to Trademark Rules 2.122(b)(1), the entire application file is

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Opposition No. 91190827

USPTO has treated other geographic designations for distilled spirits, such as

Cognac, 56 Scotch, 57 Bourbon, 58 etc., that would allow us to assess how the USPTO has

considered the term Tequila during trademark prosecution vis-à-vis how the USPTO

had considered other geographic designations.

With respect to consumer research, Applicant, through its expert Dr. Bruce

Isaacson, Ph.D., introduced the results of three Internet searches conducted on the

GOOGLE search engine. 59 The result summaries for the searches are listed below:

automatically part of the record. See Cold War Museum, Inc. v. Cold War Air Museum, Inc.,

586 F.3d 1352, 92 USPQ2d 1626, 1628 (Fed. Cir. 2009).

We further note that Opposer did not include the above-noted statements and submissions

in its extensive list of asserted factual misrepresentations comprising Opposer’s fraud claim,

nor did Opposer argue in its Brief that such statements constitute fraud.

56 Cognac “is a grape brandy distilled in the Cognac region of France, which is entitled to be

so designated by the laws and regulations of the French government.” 27 C.F.R. § 5.22(d)(2).

57 “’Scotch whisky’ is a whisky which is a distinctive product of Scotland, manufactured in

Scotland in compliance with the laws of the United Kingdom regulating the manufacture of

Scotch whisky for consumption in the United Kingdom.” 27 C.F.R. § 5.22(b)(7).

58 “‘Whisky distilled from bourbon . . . mash’ is whisky produced in the United States.” 27

C.F.R. § 5.22(b)(2).

59 A list of Internet search results generally has little probative value, because such a list

often does not contain sufficient surrounding text to show the context in which the term is

used on the listed web pages. See In re Bayer AG, 488 F.3d 960, 967, 82 USPQ2d 1828, 1833

(Fed. Cir. 2007) (deeming Google® search results that provided very little context of the use

of ASPIRINA to be “of little value in assessing the consumer public perception of the

ASPIRINA mark”); In re Tea and Sympathy, Inc., 88 USPQ2d 1062, 1064 n.3 (TTAB 2008)

(finding truncated Google® search results entitled to little probative weight without

additional evidence of how the searched term is used). Nevertheless, we consider Applicant’s

evidence for whatever probative value it has because it has been introduced through an

expert report. See Alcatraz Media Inc., 107 USPQ2d at 1759 (results from search engine

introduced by testimony admissible but of limited probative value because they lack

sufficient context); Miller v. Miller, 105 USPQ2d 1615, 1617-18 (TTAB 2013) (search results

summary introduced by testimony have probative weight to the extent the results include

sufficient information surrounding the term searched to show context, that Miller is a

surname, and have been supplemented by other testimony). We only consider what Applicant

introduced and not what the links on the search results would have shown because those

websites were not introduced into evidence. See In re HSB Solomon Assocs. LLC, 102

USPQ2d 1269, 1274 (TTAB 2012) (stating that “a reference to a website’s internet address is

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Opposition No. 91190827

• Six of 25 search summaries for Tequila referenced Mexico in some way; 60

• Fourteen of 25 search summaries for “Where is tequila made?” referenced

Mexico or a Mexican city or state; 61 and

• Ten of 25 search summaries for “Where is tequila produced?” referenced

Mexico or a Mexican city or state. 62

Dr. Isaacson concluded “that a consumer who searches for ‘tequila’ online would

see that tequila is made in Mexico, and a consumer who searches on the other two

search terms would see that tequila is made in Mexico.” 63 Since Tequila is made in

Mexico and because all Tequila sold in the United States must come from Mexico, it

is not surprising that the results from online searches associate Tequila with Mexico.

In view of the foregoing, we find that Tequila is associated with Mexico.

3. Advertising

Opposer engaged Gary B. Wilcox, Ph.D., a professor of advertising at the

University of Texas, “to see if there was a comprehensive communication attempt by

an organization or brand or company to communicate that all tequila was made in

not sufficient to make the content of that website or any pages from that website of record”);

Safer Inc., 94 USPQ2d at 1039 (noting that because of the transitory nature of Internet

postings, websites referenced only by links may later be modified or deleted).

60 100 TTABVUE 725-727.

61 100 TTABVIUE 728-730.

62 100 TTABVUE 731-733. There were 11 search summaries referencing Mexico but hit Nos.

7 and 8 are based on the same URL.

63 100 TTABVUE 616. Dr. Isaacson testified that his research did not address whether U.S.

consumers actually access this information or whether they care where Tequila originates.

Isaacson Dep., p. 40 (100 TTABVUE 773).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Mexico.” 64 Dr. Wilcox analyzed “distilled spirits advertisements” to see “what was

being communicated with tequila advertising.” 65 According to Dr. Wilcox, consumers

do not exercise a high degree of care when purchasing Tequila and they would not

care about the geographic origin of their Tequila. 66

Q. And based on your prior advertising and marketing

experience, are consumers of low involvement

products generally likely to be aware of geographic

origin information?

A. Generally not. Most of the advertising and

promotions and marketing you see for low

involvement products center around the idea of

quick communication of positive images, positive

brand association, and that generally is what drives

purchase and then the formation of attitudes later

on in that process.

Q. Okay. And what types of advertising appeals in your

experience are used in connection with low

·involvement products like tequila?

A. Images that communicate quickly in an ad. If you

look across alcohol categories, you generally see ads

that try to gain favorable impression, positive

response from the consumer. That positive response

translates to an evaluation of the brand. 67

* * *

Q. Okay. In your experience in the field of advertising,

what types of things usually reflect the primary

64 Wilcox Dep., p. 6 (143 TTABVE 7). Subsequently, Dr. Wilcox explained that he “looked at

the information sources in the United States to determine if there was a messaging or

comprehensive attempt on behalf of a company, a brand, or organization to communicate that

all tequila was made in Mexico.” Wilcox Dep., p. 8 (143 (TTABVUE 9).

65 Wilcox Dep., p. 12 (143 TTABVUE 13).

66 Wilcox Dep., p. 13 (143 TTABVUE 14).

67 Wilcox Dep., p. 14 (143 TTABVUE 15).

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Opposition No. 91190827

purpose of ads for low involvement products like

alcoholic beverages?

A. I would say, again, very pleasurable images that

communicate quickly, ads that don’t have a lot of

detail in them, as an example, they just

communicate really primarily the brand, because it’s

about a brand selection.

Q. Is geographic origin generally important to that

purpose?

A. I wouldn’t think so. 68

According to Dr. Wilcox, in this marketing environment, Tequila advertisements

would not feature any factual product information, such as the geographic origin of

the product. 69 Dr. Wilcox testified that his review of 20 advertisements in Rolling

Stone and Gentlemen’s Quarterly magazines corroborated his testimony; 70 that is, the

dominant advertising message was the quality of the brand. 71

We first observe that there is no evidentiary basis for Dr. Wilcox’s sweeping

statement that consumers do not care about geographic origin. Moreover, any lack of

focus on geographic origin in advertising could also be because the geographic origin

is commonly known and does not serve to distinguish brands, so that advertisers

spend their budgets on touting other aspects to distinguish their brand.

The 20 advertisements Dr. Wilcox reviewed featured four brands of Tequila all

with Spanish language wording or names in the marks (Don Julio, Patron, Jose

68 Wilcox Dep., p 15 (143 TTABVUE 16).

69 Wilcox Dep., p. 15 (143 (TTABVUE 16)

70 Wilcox Dep. pp. 16, 18, 20, 38 (TTABVUE 17, 19, 21, 39).

71 Wilcox Dep., p. 20 (TTABVUE 21).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Cuervo, and Cabo Uno). 72 One of the Don Julio advertisements has a Mexican

theme, 73 another has the tag lines “The True Flavor of Mexico Isn’t Found In a Book”

and “Taste the Mexico You Don’t Know,” 74 and the Jose Cuervo advertisements have

the tag line “Vive Cuervo.” 75 Notwithstanding the testimony of Dr. Wilcox, we find

that these advertisements deliberately make a linkage to the country of Mexico.

Assuming that Dr. Wilcox accurately assessed the Tequila marketing

environment, we would not expect Tequila advertisers to focus on factual information

such as the geographic origin of the product which, in any event, consumers may

already know. Moreover, Dr. Wilcox’s statement that the advertisements do not

feature geographic origin is contradicted by the numerous examples that clearly

create an association with Mexico. Thus, the fact that the advertising does not

highlight or stress the legal significance of geographic origin is not particularly

probative as to whether consumers understand that Tequila comes from Mexico or

whether Tequila has lost its significance as a designation of geographic origin. There

is no comparable advertising of record for Cognac, Scotch, Bourbon, etc. to

demonstrate that purveyors of other distilled spirits and wine highlight geographic

72 144 TTABVUE 8-27. The advertising study conducted by Opposer’s expert, Dr. Bruce

Isaacson, Ph.D., utilized six brands that accounted for 77% of the Tequila sales in the United

States. Those brands were Jose Cuervo, Patron, Sauza, Juarez, Montezuma, and 1800. 100

TTABVUE 611. Of those six brands, all but 1800 have Spanish language words or names

(Montezuma is the Spanish version of an Aztec name).

73 144 TTABVUE 8.

74 144 TTABVUE 10.

75 144 TTABVUE 11, 15, 18, 20. See also the advertisements attached to the Isaacson expert

report which included advertisements published in other magazines such as Maxim,

Cosmopolitan, ESPN the Magazine, and others. 100 TTABVUE 648-723.

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Opposition No. 91190827

origin in their advertisements, thus demonstrating that the purported choice of

Tequila producers and bottlers to expressly highlight or emphasize the geographic

origin of their product is significant. 76 What the evidence does show, at minimum, is

that much advertising deliberately creates an association with Mexico.

4. Bottle labels

Dr. Wilcox also reviewed Tequila labels 77 and concluded that in the Tequila

marketing environment, customers are not paying attention to the information on the

label, other than the brand. 78 “[G]enerally, the brand was predominant, with most of

the other information secondary.” 79 However, we note that the labels of all the brands

state that the Tequila is made in Mexico 80 and most of the brands have Spanish

language words, places or names (e.g., Juarez, Jose Cuervo, Puerto Vallarta, and

Sauza). 81 The Patron bottle hang tag highlights its Mexican origin.

Patrón Tequila, like the great wines and cognacs of the

world, is exceptional for a reason. It begins with the finest

growing region in Mexico. High in the mountains of Jalisco

exists a region with perfect soil and climate . . . . 82

76Dr. Wilcox did not look at advertisements for Cognac, Champagne or Bordeaux wine.

Wilcox Dep. p. 39 (143 TTABVUE 40).

77 Wilcox Dep., p. 22 (143 TTABVUE 23).

78 Wilcox Dep., p. 24 (143 TTABVUE 25).

79 Wilcox Dep., p. 25 (143 TTABVUE 26).

80 144 TTABVUE 2-3.

81 144 TTABVUE 2-3. Dr. Bruce Isaacson, Ph.D., made the same observations in his expert

report. 100 TTABVUE 604-605, 610-612, 628-646. “Even if such information [the Spanish

sounding names and statement that the product comes from Mexico] is not the central focus

of an ad or label, it is available to the consumer and should not be ignored by an analysis that

seeks to understand whether consumers know that tequila comes from Mexico.” 100

TTABVUE 611.

82 100 TTABVUE 646. The remainder of the label is illegible.

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Opposition No. 91190827

5. Use of Tequila in printed publications and on the Internet

a. Recipes

Opposer introduced 17 recipes posted on the Internet in websites such as

Foodnetwork.com, Finecooking.com, MarthaStewart.com, etc., for recipes consisting

in part of Tequila. 83 For example, “Grilled Pound Cake with Tequila-Soaked

Pineapple,” 84 “Nantucket Bay Scallops in Tequila, Citrus, and Chile Dressing,” 85 and

“Sauteed Turkey with Tequila Cream Sauce.” 86 Opposer asserts that “[r]ecipes can

show how a term is used and understood.” 87 The term Tequila is used as the name of

an ingredient in the recipes (e.g., “In a small saucepan, whisk together the brown

sugar, tequila and ¼ cup water.”). 88 Although none indicate the geographic origin of

Tequila, there is no evidence that recipes typically recite the geographic origin of the

ingredients comprising the recipe. 89 Thus, the recipes do not show that consumers

are unaware of the geographic origin of Tequila.

83 Opposer’s third notice of reliance (89 TTABVUE).

84 89 TTABVUE 7.

85 89 TTABVUE 11.

86 89 TTABVUE 14.

87 Opposer’s Brief, p. 32 (167 TTABVUE 33).

88 89 TTABVUE 7.

89 89 TTABVUE 33-45. Neither party introduced any recipes including Cognac, Scotch,

Bourbon, or other known designations of geographic origin for purposes of comparison. Thus,

it is not clear whether cooks and recipe writers simply presume their readers are generally

aware that spirits and wines originate from particular geographic areas, so that no mention

of geographic origin is necessary, or whether the cooks and recipe writers tend to designate

use of spirits and wines having a particular geographic origin as preferable when preparing

the recipe.

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Opposition No. 91190827

b. News articles

Opposer introduced ten articles published in newspapers using the term Tequila

to identify a type of distilled spirit without any reference to Tequila being a

geographic indicator. 90 The article “TNT wooed Charles Barkley with $1,700 of wine

and tequila” published May 19, 2015 in the Chicago Sun Times, excerpted below, is

representative.

There had been whispers that Charles Barkley would leave

TNT when his contract was up in 2016.

That talk was killed recently-along with some bottles of

wine and tequila totaling $1,700.

* * *

On the issue of Barkley, [Kenny] Smith took a nice shot at

his on-air colleague and sparring partner. “I never believed

he would retire,” said Smith. “He fooled David Levy and got

two bottles of good wine and tequila out of it.” 91

The author refers to Tequila in the same manner as he refers to wine, as a generic

term. We find evidence of this type to be inconclusive. Just because the author

referred to the term Tequila as a distilled spirit, we cannot conclude from the articles

that the authors and readers did not perceive Tequila as a distilled spirit from Mexico.

Applicant, on the other hand, introduced into evidence numerous news articles

associating Tequila with Mexico. 92 The following articles are illustrative:

90 94 TTABVUE.

91 94 TTABVUE 18.

92 107, 108, 110 and 111 TTABVUE. We considered only articles from U.S. publications

because there was no evidence or testimony that U.S. purchasers of Tequila would read the

foreign publications (e.g., City A.M. from London 107 TTABVUE 15).

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Opposition No. 91190827

a. Delta Sky Magazine (delta-sky.com) 93

Evidence of the Culture

It was once considered just a campesino’s drink, but now

tequila has gone upscale.

Tequila is to Mexico, a friend once alleged, as apple pie is

to America. It is as much a part of the national identity of

Mexico as mariachis or the art of Diego Rivera. It is also

the national elixir, the stuff of celebration and the cure for

what ails you. If a friend drops by, you offer a tequila. If

you feel the flu coming on, a tequila, if you feel a little blue,

tequila, and at a fiesta, nothing else … tequila. Speak

Spanish, and Mexicans will admire you; but order a

tequilito, neat and sipped, and they will love you.

b. The New York Times 94

100% Blue Agave, the V.S.O.P. of Tequila

Tequila, unlike chocolate, was not an indigenous Mexican

treat. The Spanish conquerors who knew how to distill

spirits taught the Mexicans to turn the fermented juice of

the agave plant into tequila.

Today, genuine tequila comes only from a limited area

around Jalisco, Mexico, north of Guadalajara. It must be

made with at least 51 percent blue agave juice, and double-

distilled – and there is never a worm in the bottle. The

bottles with worms contain mescal, a less refined cousin of

tequila that is usually made around Oaxaca, south of

Mexico City.

Only in the last few years have some of the finer Mexican

tequilas been available here. As with other categories of

spirits like Scotch, there is a new emphasis on high-quality

products. …

93 107 TTABVUE 7.

94 107 TTABVUE 12.

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Opposition No. 91190827

… For sipping as an aperitif, Mexican connoisseurs prefer

chilled shots of fine 100 percent blue agave silver tequilas

or the smoother reposados, which have been aged.

c. Wine Enthusiast Magazine (winemag.com) 95

Slideshow Story: Taking On Tequila

… Wine lovers know the thrill, the enchantment, of

enjoying wine within sight of where the grapes grow. But

you can enjoy Burgundy in Burgundy, Chianti in Chianti,

while for the Tequila geek there is only one pilgrimage to

make: Jalisco, the state in central-western Mexico where

95% of agave is grown and the spirit of Tequila is produced.

* * *

The Tequila Trail, whose towns and distilleries have been

designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a three-

hour drive west from the bustling coastal resort, Puerto

Vallarta, and winds its way through the lowlands region.

The trail connects the Tequila-producing towns of El

Arenal, Amatian, Tequila, Magdalena and Teuchitlan.

* * *

… The history of Tequila is deeply ingrained in the history

of Mexico, and there is much national pride in the spirit.

During the prosecution of the subject application, the Trademark Examining

Attorney for the subject application submitted an Associated Press news article

posted on MSNBC.msn.com on November 2003 discussing South Africa’s agave

distillers. 96 The news article displays mixed use of the term Tequila.

First tequila from outside Mexico

S. Africa’s Agava [sic] fills demand while Mexican

plantations recover from disease . . .

95 107 TTABVUE 20.

96 October 19, 2004 Office Action.

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Opposition No. 91190827

. . . a group of cactus juice distillers has taken a page out of

Mexico’s book and started making tequila . . .

Mexican diplomats used international trade agreements to

ensure the South Africans did not actually call their drink

tequila, but their “Agava” branded spirit has the same

taste as leading brands, and bottles are flying off the

shelves.

* * *

“Tequila can only be made in Mexico for the same reasons

as port, sherry and champagne,” [Roy McLachlan,

managing director of Agave Distillers] added. “Other than

that . . . the components are the same.” To carry any of

these names, the drink in question must come from a

specific region or country.

Trade agreements mean similar drinks made elsewhere

cannot carry the name, even if they are made in exactly the

same way.

The Trademark Examining also submitted an excerpt from the LasMagaritas.com

website stating the following:

Tequila is best identified with Mexico, and more

specifically it is identified regionally with the Mexican

state of Jalisco. In four other regions of Mexico

(Guanaju[a]nto, Michoc[á]n, Nayarit and Tamaulipas),

tequila is made out of a variety of magueys (including

agave, mezcal or maguey), but the truest definition of the

product restricts it – in the same way the French define a

bottle of Champagne as the product of the Champagne

region of France – to the Jalisco region and to the agave

plant. 97

See also the posting on the CocktailTimes.com website set forth below:

DISTILLERY JOURNEY

Making Tequila

97 October 19, 2004 Office Action.

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Opposition No. 91190827

Tequila has become synonymous with the culture and

heritage of Mexico. Much like Champagne and Cognac are

indigenous to France, tequila is identified by the

geographic region from which it originates. 98

Opposer argues that the lower case treatment shows that American consumers

perceive the word Tequila to be a common noun, rather than a geographic indicator. 99

In a previous case, the Board explained the probative value of such usage by writers

and editors as set forth below:

While one should not place determinative weight upon

whether or not the journalists and editors involved in these

randomly-selected newspaper articles use an upper-case or

lower-case letter “R,” we find it instructive that in a

majority of these instances, the word “Realtor” is

capitalized and used in a manner consistent with

respondent's position that this term functions as an

identifier for its members — not as a generic designation

for all real estate agents. Respondent also points to many

instances in the record where newspapers and magazines

clearly use the term “Realtor” in a manner consistent with

the proprietary nature of the term.

Zimmerman v. Nat’l Ass’n of Realtors, 70 USPQ2d 1425, 1434 (TTAB 2004). Compare

In re Noon Hour Food Prods., Inc., 88 USPQ2d 1172, 1179 (TTAB 2008) (“where

writers use the term ‘bondost’ as a single word in all lower-case letters, the

presumption to be drawn from such references is that it is perceived, at least by the

author, as a generic type of cheese.”); and In re Cooperativa Produttori Latte E

Fontina Valle D’Acosta, 230 USPQ at 134 (“the lower-case treatment of this word by

the references to name a kind of cheese with certain hardness, texture and flavor

98 June 9, 2005 Office Action.

99 Opposer’s Brief, p. 28 (167 TTABVUE 29).

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Opposition No. 91190827

characteristics, and the fact that the record reveals that there is a domestic fontina

cheese demonstrates to us that, to the American purchaser, ‘fontina’ primarily

signifies a type of cheese . . . regardless of regional origin.”).

However, we have a mixed record where Tequila is used both as a noun and as a

geographic place name. In fact, in some instances lower case uses of the term Tequila

are in articles discussing the unique geographic origin of Tequila so we cannot

necessarily assume that the use of the lower case “t” indicates no knowledge of

geographic origin. See e.g.,

IPGuardians.org – “In fact, tequila named after its place of

origin, the Tequila region of the state of Jalisco, is a symbol

of Mexico’s national identity.” 100

LasMagaritas.com – “tequila is made out of a variety of

magueys . . . but the truest definition of the product

restricts it – in the same say the French define a bottle of

Champagne as the product of the Champagne region of

France – to the Jalisco region and to the agave plant.” 101

CocktailTimes.com – “tequila is identified by the

geographic region from which it originates.” 102

The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) (May 5, 2004) –

“Tamaulipas, a largely agricultural state . . . is one of five

Mexican states certified to grow blue agave and produce

tequila.” 103

As we noted in footnote 30, supra, in many instances the product is called by the name

of the certification mark (e.g., Scotch, Cognac, etc.).

100 October 19, 2004 Office Action.

101 October 19, 2004 Office Action.

102 June 9, 2005 Office Action.

103 June 9, 2005 Office Action.

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Opposition No. 91190827

6. Use of Tequila on signs in retail stores.

Opposer, through Daniel Streepy, Opposer’s Executive Vice President of Sales,

introduced photographs of liquor stores “depicting how tequila and tequila-based

products are merchandised,” 104 purportedly showing retailers using Tequila as a

category of spirits. To that end, Opposer introduced 17 photographs of liquor store

interiors; but not the entire interior of the stores. Thus, we do not see how the

retailers display all the varieties of spirits, wines and other beverages. In that regard,

the photographs comprising Streepy Exhibit No. 1 show a liquor store display of

“Tequila” next to a display of “Rum,” and in the background there is a similar display

for “Scotch.” 105 Scotch whisky “is a distinctive product of Scotland, manufactured in

compliance with the laws of the United Kingdom regulating the manufacture of

Scotch whisky.” 106 That retailer treats Tequila and Scotch the same as rum. See also

Streepy Exhibit No. 2 displaying “Cognac/Brandy” and “Tequila;” 107 Streepy Exhibit

No. 7 displaying “Tequila,” “Gin,” “Vodka,” “Canadian Whiskey,” and “American

Whiskey Bourbon;” 108 Streepy Exhibit No. 8 displaying “Tequila,” “Vodka,” and

104 Streepy Dep., p. 12 (148 TTABVUE 13).

105 148 TTABVUE 65-66.

106 27 C.F.R. § 5.22(b)(7).

107 148 TTABVUE 67. Cognac “is a grape brandy distilled in the Cognac region of France,

which is entitled to be so designated by the laws and regulations of the French government.”

27 C.F.R. § 5.22(d)(2).

108 148 TTABVUE 72. Canadian whisky “is a distinctive product of Canada, manufactured in

Canada in compliance with the laws of Canada regulating the production of Canadian

whisky.” 27 C.F.R. § 5.22(b)(9).

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Opposition No. 91190827

“Canadian Whiskey”; 109 Streepy Exhibit No. 15 displaying “Tequila,” “Bourbon,”

“Rum,” and “American Whiskey.” 110 Because not all of the Streepy exhibits show how

other spirits are used on signs in retail stores, and because some of the Streepy

exhibits show that retailers use the term Tequila in the same manner as they use

other indications of geographic origin, the Streepy exhibits do not persuade us that

spirits retailers perceive Tequila as a generic term.

Opposer, on the other hand, argues that because these same spirit retailers

organize wine and craft beer by country, and do not organize Tequila and Tequila-

based distilled spirit specialty products by country of origin, “at retail . . . the term

tequila is offered as nothing more than a placeholder for a type or category of alcohol

and not a geographic source indicator.” 111 The problem with Opposer’s argument is

that wine and craft beer originate from many countries and there is no evidence that

authentic Tequila originates anywhere but Mexico, so there is no reason for retailers

to designate the country of origin. Also, there is no evidence whether the retailers

organized spirits such as rum, vodka, and gin in the same manner as wine and beer

by country of origin.

7. Consumer surveys.

Both parties submitted surveys in support of their respective positions.

a. Opposer’s survey.

109 148 TTABVUE 73. “‘Whisky distilled from bourbon . . . mash’ is whisky produced in the

United States.” 27 C.F.R. § 5.22(b)(2)

110 149 TTABVUE 2.

111 Opposer’s Brief, p. 34 (167 TTABVUE 35) (citing Streepy Dep, pp. 25-26 (148 TTABVUE

26-27)).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Opposer submitted a survey “to determine what the meaning of the term

TEQUILA is to the relevant public in the United States, that is, consumers of hard

liquor.” 112 The results of Opposer’s survey are not meaningful because of defects with

respect to the universe of respondents.

Opposer selected purchasers of hard liquor rather than purchasers of Tequila (i.e.,

“spirits distilled from the blue tequilana weber variety of agave plant”) for its

universe of respondents. 113 According to Philip Johnson, Opposer’s consumer survey

expert, he chose consumers of hard liquor as the universe because there is a

substantial overlap between purchasers of hard liquor and Tequila although he was

unable to quantify the extent of that overlap. 114 According to Dr. Johnson, Tequila is

part of the “competitive set” of hard liquor (i.e., Tequila is one of the choices

consumers make when purchasing hard liquor). 115 However, Dr. Johnson did not

know what percentage of hard liquor purchasers purchase Tequila or whether the

majority of the respondents in his survey had purchased Tequila in the thirty days

prior to the survey or intended to purchase Tequila within the next thirty days. 116 It

112 Johnson Dep., Exhibit 1 (126 TTABVUE 89 at 92).

113 Johnson Dep., Exhibit 1 (126 TTABVUE 89 at 92 and 95).

114 Johnson Dep., Exhibit A (Johnson Discovery Dep., pp. 27-28 (126 TTABVUE 446-447)).

115 Johnson Dep., p. 27-28 (126 TTABVUE 28-29).

116 Johnson Dep., p. 68 (126 TTABVUE 69) and Johnson Dep. Exhibit A (Johnson Discovery

Dep., pp. 30-31 (126 TTABVUE 449-450). The 30 days before and after the interview was

part of the survey protocol for screening respondents. Johnson Dep., Exhibit 1 (126

TTABVUE 89 at 95-96 and 120).

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Opposition No. 91190827

is possible, though unlikely, that none of Johnson’s respondents ever considered

purchasing Tequila. 117

Alexander Simonson, Ph.D., Applicant’s consumer survey expert, provided the

following analysis regarding Opposer’s universe of respondents:

14. Those consumers who are not actual or potential

purchasers would be less knowledgeable and thus their

perceptions as measured in a survey would likely vary from

those who purchase the relevant product.

15. Merely purchasing hard liquor or intending to do so

does not qualify someone as an actual or potential

purchaser of this kind of product unless one would assume

that anyone purchasing products with a certain percentage

of alcohol would be likely to purchase any such products no

matter the type.

16. Not one of the consumers qualified in the Johnson

Survey may have purchased or intended to purchase the

kind of product at issue (a particular kind of Agave

distillate for which the term TEQUILA would be present).

The scotch purchaser, the vodka purchaser, the gin

purchaser, would all be irrelevant if they also did not

happen to be Agave distillate purchasers (but Mr. Johnson

interviewed anyone who, in a time frame, had purchased

hard liquor or intended to do so). Therefore, this criterion

for the relevant consumer as “anyone purchasing or likely

to purchase hard liquor” is overbroad and improper. 118

Applicant, in its survey, asked whether potential respondents were purchasers of

hard liquor, as well as purchasers of Tequila, to determine the ratio of hard liquor

purchasers to Tequila purchasers. 119

Of those screened, 69.0% were purchasers of hard liquor.

In contrast, only 21.9% were purchasers of Tequila. This

117 Johnson Dep., pp. 68-69 (126 TTABVUE 69-70).

118 Expert Declaration of Alexander Simonson, pp. 9-11 (100 TTABVUE 15-17).

119 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 359 and 389-391).

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Opposition No. 91190827

indicates a sharp divergence between the two universes.

The universe of hard liquor purchasers is significantly

overbroad with respect to Tequila and the relevant

universe for such product. 120

The Federal Judicial Center's 2011 Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence

emphasizes that:

A survey that provides information about a wholly

irrelevant population is itself irrelevant. Courts are likely

to exclude the survey or accord it little weight . . . Coverage

error is the term used to describe inconsistencies between

a sampling frame and a target population. 121

By selecting an overly broad universe that included respondents without any

knowledge of Tequila, Opposer skewed the results of the survey in its favor. As

indicated above, we find that the relevant public is purchasers of Tequila (i.e., spirits

distilled from the blue tequilana weber variety of agave plant). Purchasers of hard

liquor is too broad a universe because there are purchasers of hard liquor who may

not purchase Tequila, may not know anything about Tequila, or may not care at all

about Tequila.

b. Applicant’s survey.

Applicant authorized a consumer survey “to determine whether and to what

extent the term TEQUILA on alcoholic beverages indicates to relevant consumers

that the product is made in Mexico.” 122 It was a mall intercept survey incorporating

120 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 364).

121 Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, 377–378 (Federal Judicial Center 3rd ed. 2011).

122 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 354 at 356). Opposer argues that the Simonson

survey failed to ask any questions relating to the primary significance of the term Tequila

and, therefore, failed to measure the primary significance of that term. Johnson’s Review and

Critique of the Simonson Survey (151 TTABVUE 6 at 12). However, Applicant’s survey did

not attempt to measure the primary significance of Tequila; it sought to measure whether it

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Opposition No. 91190827

facilities in many of the same cities selected by Opposer. 123 Applicant’s survey

encompassed 502 valid survey responses. 124

The relevant universe for this study was defined as males

and females 21 years of age or older who either (a) within

the past month had purchased Tequila or (b) within the

coming month was [sic] planning to purchase Tequila. 125

In addition to screening potential respondents about Tequila, the screening

questionnaire included questions about whisky, gin, and vodka. Purchasers and

potential purchasers of those products would be asked questions about their

perceptions of those terms. 126 As indicated above, 502 respondents were qualified to

answer questions about Tequila. Of those 502 respondents, 206 respondents were

qualified to answer questions about whiskey, 173 respondents were qualified to

answer questions about gin, and 398 respondents were qualified to answer questions

about vodka. 127

indicates that the product is made in Mexico. As noted above, “[a] certification mark used to

certify regional origin as well as qualities and characteristics associated with the origin will

not be deemed to have become a generic term as applied to particular goods unless it has lost

its significance as an indication of regional origin for those goods.” Tea Board of India v.

Republic of Tea Inc., 80 USPQ2d at 1887. Thus, so long as Tequila is perceived as an

indication of regional origin for the goods, it will not be considered to be generic.

123 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 358 and 360); Johnson Dep., Exhibit 1 (126

TTABVUE 93).

124 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 364).

125 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 358). This was the same time frame utilized in

Opposer’s survey. Johnson Dep., Exhibit 1 (126 TTABVUE 95).

Opposer’s consumer survey expert argues that Applicant’s universe is too narrow. Johnson’s

Review and Critique of the Simonson Survey (151 TTABVUE 6 at 12). As previously

discussed, we find that Applicant selected the proper universe and that the universe utilized

by Opposer in its survey was too broad.

126 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 359 and 361).

127 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 365).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Respondents were instructed to inform the questioner, with respect to any

question, if they had not formed an opinion. 128 For each beverage term for which the

respondent was qualified, the interviewer asked the respondent the following

question:

When an alcoholic beverage is identified as __________,

does or doesn’t the fact that it’s identified as __________

communicate or indicate to you the country in which it is

made? 129

If the respondent says yes, the following questions are asked:

What country?

What makes you say that? 130

The results of the survey are set forth below:

128 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 363 (“If there’s any reason that you cannot

answer because you haven’t formed an opinion one way or another, please just tell me so.”).

129 Opposer argues that this question is leading and suggestive because it “forcibly limits

respondents to identify just one country . . . in response to the term they were asked about

rather than allowing respondents to identify more than one country. This form of questioning

prevents respondents from verbalizing their belief as to the country or countries in which it

is made, and fails to determine their belief as to whether each product is or is not exclusively

made in a single country.” Johnson’s Review and Critique of the Simonson Survey (151

TTABVUE 6 at 13-14). Dr. Simonson argues that using “countries” instead of “country” would

take away from determining whether respondents believe Tequila is associated with a

particular country. Simonson Dep., p. 157 (177 TTABVUE 160). He explained that he asked

the question using “country” so respondents would “indicat[e] that they believe it comes from

that country and not other countries.” Simonson Dep., p. 92 (100 TTABVUE 255) and 151

(177 TTABVUE 154) (“They were asked whether they believed it came from one particular

country.”). As noted below, while 16 respondents associated Tequila with Mexico, they did

not associate it exclusively with Mexico, thus indicating that at least some respondents were

able to convey their understanding that Tequila originates from more than one country.

While Applicant could have phrased the question as whether the term communicates the

country or countries in which it is made, we find that Applicant’s results remain probative.

130 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 362).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Question 1: When an alcoholic beverage is identified as __________, does or doesn’t

the fact that it’s identified as __________ communicate or indicate to you the country

in which it is made? 131

Beverage Total Yes No Don’t

Respondents know/not

sure

Tequila 502 316 163 23

respondents respondents respondents

62.9% 32.5% 4.6%

Whiskey 206 of the 502 71 117 18

total respondents or respondents or respondents or

respondents 14.1% of the 23.3% of the 3.6% of the

qualified to 502 502 502

answer respondents or respondents or respondents or

questions 34% of the 57% of the 9% of the

about whiskey qualified qualified qualified

whiskey whiskey whiskey

respondents respondents respondents

Gin 173 of the 502 27 124 22

total respondents or respondents or respondents or

respondents 5.45% of the 24.7% of the 4.4% of the

qualified to 502 502 502

answer respondents or respondents or respondents or

questions 16% of the 72% of the 13% of the

about gin qualified gin qualified gin qualified gin

respondents respondents respondents

Vodka 398 of the 502 142 224 32

total respondents or respondents or respondents or

respondents 28.3% of the 44.6% of the 6.4% of the

qualified to 502 502 502

answer respondents or respondents or respondents or

questions 36% of the 56% of the 8% of the

about vodka qualified qualified qualified

vodka vodka vodka

respondents respondents respondents

131 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 365).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Of the 316 respondents who said that Tequila indicates the country in which it is

made, 294 respondents (58.6% of the total sample) said that Tequila indicates being

from Mexico. 132 However, while 16 of those respondents associate Tequila with

Mexico, they did not associate it exclusively with Mexico. Thus, a total of 278 of the

502 respondents (55.4%) believe that Tequila indicates that the product is made in

Mexico. 133

No respondents mentioned Mexico for any other terms,

Whiskey, Gin or Vodka, indicating that the choice of

Mexico was not caused by a proclivity to guess Mexico. 134

E. Analysis

As noted above, Opposer must prove that Applicant’s mark is generic by a

preponderance of the evidence. Princeton Vanguard, LLC, 114 USPQ2d at 1830 n.2;

Magic Wand Inc., 19 USPQ2d at 1554; Tea Bd. of India, 80 USPQ2d at 1887.

132 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 366).

133 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 376).

134 Simonson Dep., Exhibit 3 (100 TTABVUE 366). According to Dr. Simonson, to the extent

that respondents are guessing Mexico when they hear tequila, “we can measure that by

looking at to what extent they’re guessing Mexico to other spirits.” Simonson Dep., pp. 119-

120 (100 TTABVUE 282-283). On the other hand, Opposer argues that Applicant does not

properly use its controls (i.e., whiskey, vodka, and gin) to adjust for the high rate of errors in

survey results (i.e., 36% of the vodka respondents, 34% of the whiskey respondents, and 16%

of the gin respondents erroneously stated that the respective spirits identify their country of

origin). Johnson’s Review and Critique of the Simonson Survey (151 TTABVUE 6 at 14-15).

We disagree with the premise that respondents who were wrong about the origin of whiskey,

vodka, and/or gin are somehow wrong about their perception of the origin of Tequila. There

may be other factors causing those erroneous answers. The purpose of the control is to test

whether respondents are guessing Mexico. “It doesn’t suggest that the people who believe

that Tequila is from Mexico are wrong because there are people who believe that vodka is

from Russia. What would suggest that there is a problem is if people with other spirits are

believing that they’re from Mexico, because that would suggest . . . maybe they’re guessing

Mexico” Simonson Dep., pp. 126-127 (100 TTABVUE 289-290). In other words, that somebody

believes that vodka is from Russia is irrelevant to whether someone believes that Tequila

comes from Mexico. Id. at 294.

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Opposition No. 91190827

Moreover, so long as a certification mark used to certify regional origin as well as

qualities and characteristics associated with the origin has not lost its significance as

an indication of regional origin for those goods, it will not be deemed to have become

a generic term as applied to those goods. See Tea Bd. of India, 80 USPQ2d at 1887

(citing Institut National Des Appellations d'Origine v. Brown-Forman Corp., 47

USPQ2d at 1885). In other words, a term that identifies a category of spirit would not

be generic if it also serves to identify geographic origin (e.g., a type of spirit from

Mexico).

The evidence recounted above, particularly the information in the standard

reference works, advertising and brand names engendering an association with

Mexico, labels on every bottle sold that include the statement “Product of Mexico” or

“Hecho en Mexico,” and Applicant’s survey finding that 55.4% of the respondents

believe that Tequila indicates that the product is made in Mexico, counters Opposer’s

assertion that Tequila is a generic term. Rather, the evidence tends to show that

Tequila has significance as a designation of geographic origin. At best, the record in

this case is mixed. Because Opposer failed to sustain its burden of showing that

Tequila is a generic term by a preponderance of the evidence, we dismiss Count I of

the opposition on the ground that Tequila is generic.

VII. Whether Applicant exercises legitimate control over the use of

the term “Tequila” as a certification mark for distilled spirits

originating in Mexico and made in accordance with the laws of

Mexico?

Opposer alleges that Applicant “has not and is not controlling the use of the term

tequila in the United States, and further cannot exercise legitimate control over use

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Opposition No. 91190827

of the term tequila in the United States as required by 15 U.S.C. §§ 1063-1064.” 135

According to Opposer, within the United States, the TTB, in the U.S. Department of

Treasury, “has authority over the use of tequila.” 136

To conduct business as a distillery, brewery or a winery or other activities

involving alcoholic beverages, a company must be approved by and obtain a

registration under the Internal Revenue Code and Federal Alcohol Administration

Act. 137

Q. What about if I wanted to be - - if I wanted to make

beverage alcohol in the United States, what would I

need to do?

A. You’d have to register under the Internal Revenue

Code for a distilled spirits plant, and you would have

to obtain an approved federal FAA Act permit as a

producer of beverage alcohol. 138

The Federal Alcohol Administration Act regulates distilled spirits in the United

States and it provides the Department of Treasury with the authority to promulgate

regulations to control alcoholic beverages. 139

The general parameters of the FAA provides who is

authorized to conduct business in the alcohol industry and

to provide prevention of any fraud in the alcohol industry

as far as informing the public of what they can have - - what

the alcoholic beverages are. 140

135 Amended Notice of Opposition ¶42 (59 TTABVUE 10).

136 Opposer’s Brief, p. 45 (167 TTABVUE 46).

137 McMonagle Dep., pp. 13 (128 TTABVUE 14).

138 McMonagle Dep., pp. 13-14 (128 TTABVUE 14-15).

139 McMonagle Dep., p. 24 (128 TTABVUE 25).

140 McMonagle Dep., p. 25 (128 TTABVUE 26).

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Opposition No. 91190827

“The TTB is the sole agency with authority to enforce any of the regulations

pertaining to importation, storage, bottling, advertising, labelling of distilled spirits

products, including tequila, in the United States.” 141 With respect to businesses that

import, bottle and distribute Tequila, the TTB “ensures that bottling of, and bulk

storage operations for, tequila is prohibited in the United States unless conducted by

a distiller, warehouseman, or processor as those terms are defined in the United

States code” 142 and “[t]hat no label for products that claim to be tequila or claim to

contain tequila contains any brand name which, standing alone, or in association with

other printed material would not be in compliance.” 143

That the sole agency with the authority to enforce the

regulations pertaining to importation, storage, bottling,

advertising and labelling of distilled spirits, and distilled

spirits products, including tequila, in the United States,

rests with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade

Bureau. 144

To the extent that Opposer is arguing that the application of Title 27 of the Code

of Federal Regulations by the TTB exceeds or negates Applicant’s certification mark

rights under common law or as may be acknowledged by the USPTO under the

Trademark Act, Opposer is not correct. The TTB has no authority to make

determinations as to trademark registrability under the Trademark Act. 145

McMonagle Dep., p. 32 (128 TTABVUE 33). See also McMonagle Dep., p. 34 (128

141

TTABVUE 35).

142 McMonagle Dep., p. 34 (128 TTABVUE 35).

143 McMonagle Dep., p. 36 (128 TTABVUE 36).

144 McMonagle Dep., p. 37 (128 TTABVUE 38).

145 It should be noted that Trademark Rule 2.69, 37 C.F.R. § 2.69 provides that:

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Opposition No. 91190827

While determinations by other agencies of the government

may, at times, have a bearing on the question of a party’s

right of registration of a mark, the Trademark Act of 1946

specifically vests jurisdiction in respect to the right of

registration of a trademark solely upon the United States

Patent Office.

Furthermore, and in any event, the [TTB] has no authority

to concern itself with proprietary rights in brand names, its

only concern being the acceptability of brand names from

the viewpoint of the label requirements of the Federal

Alcohol Administration Act and regulations issued

thereunder. Accordingly, the issuance of a certificate of

label approval by this bureau merely signifies that such

label complies as to form with the requirements of the

above-mentioned regulations and the issuance of the

certificate does not afford protection under the trademark

statute.

The Scotch Whisky Ass’n v. S. Comfort Corp., 176 USPQ 494, 495 (TTAB 1973). See

also Institut National Des Appellations D'Origine v. Vintners Int’l Co., 958 F.2d 1574,

22 USPQ2d 1190, 1197 (Fed. Cir. 1992) (“We deal here only with the issue of

registrability and what may be registered in the PTO. It is not our concern or that of

the PTO what [applicant] must do to comply with the BATF [now TTB] labelling

requirements.”); In re Quady Winery Inc., 221 USPQ 1213, 1214 (TTAB 1984) (“Label

approval signifies compliance with BATF [now TTB] requirements, but does not

When the sale or transportation of any product for which

registration of a trademark is sought is regulated under an Act

of Congress, the Patent and Trademark Office may make

appropriate inquiry as to compliance with such Act for the sole

purpose of determining lawfulness of the commerce recited in

the application.

Section 907 of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (October 2016)

indicates that “the USPTO does not routinely solicit information regarding label approval

under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act or similar acts. However, if the record indicates

that the mark itself or the goods or services violate federal law, an inquiry or refusal must be

made.”

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Opposition No. 91190827

afford trademark protection under the trademark statute. The Patent and

Trademark Office is the agency with the jurisdiction to determine trademark

registrability.”). Cf. The Am. Meat Inst. v. Horace W. Longacre, Inc., 211 USPQ 712,

722 (TTAB 1981) (“The question of registrability of a designation involved in a

proceeding such as this [an opposition] must necessarily be determined not by the

criteria enumerated in regulations governing the label approval functions of the

Department of Agriculture, but rather by the specific provisions of the Trademark

Act of 1946 governing the registration of trademarks; the interpretation of these

provisions by this and other tribunals; and the application of these provisions to the

particular fact situation created by the record in the case under determination.”).

The facts in Bureau National Interprofessionnel Du Cognac v. Int’l Better Drinks

Corp., 6 USPQ2d 1610, 1614 (TTAB 1988) are instructive in this case. The Board

found, by virtue of the evidence in the record, the term COGNAC serves as a common

law certification mark of regional origin as well as the quality of the brandy entitled

to display that designation to consumers of the relevant goods. While the regulations

of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) [now the TTB] restrict

the use of the COGNAC designation in the United States to brandy which is entitled

to be so designated by French law, these rules and regulations of the BATF did not

create nor prevent Opposer’s trademark rights. See also Institut National Des

Appellations d'Origine v. Brown-Forman Corp., 47 USPQ2d 1875, 1884-85 (TTAB

1998) (finding that COGNAC is a common law regional certification mark based on

evidence of consumer perception, separate and apart from the fact that the BATF

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Opposition No. 91190827

(now TTB) established a standard of identity for Cognac brandy which specifies that

the designation COGNAC applies only to grape brandy distilled in the Cognac region

of France).

Opposer also argues that Applicant does not control use of the term Tequila in

Mexico, and that the Mexican government, not Applicant, is the owner of the term

Tequila.

The Mexican Government is the only legitimate owner of

the rights and interests in the term tequila. Applicant

concedes that it is the Mexican Government through IMPI,

not Applicant, who has the sole and exclusive authority to

allow or permit third parties to use the term tequila on

alcohol beverages in Mexico. [Applicant’s] activities, as an

agent of the Mexican Government, are limited to

evaluating compliance of alcohol products with Mexican

laws, specifically the Official Norm for tequila. Applicant’s

responsibilities in Mexico do not include any enforcement

activities relating to proper use of the term tequila. Those

activities are vested in a different branch of the Mexican

Government. Applicant’s admitted lack of enforcement

responsibilities is fatal to its efforts to secure a registration

for tequila here. (Internal citations omitted). 146

In 2012, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, the “legitimate and only

holder of the Designation of Origin of Tequila,” authorized Applicant “to request the

registration of the Certification Brand of Tequila in the United States, because

146 Opposer’s Brief, pp. 47-48 (167 TTABVUE 48-49). Opposer cited Syndicat Des

Proprietaires Viticulteurs De Chateauneuf-Du-Pape v. Pasquier DesVignes, 107 USPQ2d

1930, 1935 (TTAB 2013) to support its argument that Applicant’s “lack of enforcement

responsibilities is fatal to its efforts to secure a registration for tequila” in the U.S. However,

in that case, there were multiple parties responsible for defending the geographic designation

whereas, as discussed below, in this case, the Mexican government authorized only Applicant

to seek registration of Tequila as a certification mark in the United States because Applicant

verifies compliance with the Official Mexican Standard for Tequila and, thus according to the

Mexican government, has the ability to protect the mark.

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Opposition No. 91190827

[Applicant] has the structure to organize and manage the registration, contributing

to the protection of the First Designation of Origin of Mexico.” 147

The question we must answer is whether Applicant is the proper applicant. TMEP

§ 1306.05(b)(ii) provides the following insight (emphasis added):

[W]hen geographic designations are used to certify regional

origin, a governmental body or government-authorized

entity is usually most able to exert the necessary control to

ensure all qualified parties in the region are free to use the

designation and to discourage improper or otherwise

detrimental uses of the certification mark.

… The government of a region would be the logical

authority to control the use of the name of the region. The

government, either directly or through a body to

which it has given authority, would have power to

preserve the right of all persons entitled to use the

mark and to prevent abuse or illegal use of the mark.

The applicant may be the government itself (such as the

government of the United States, a state, or a city), one of

the departments of a government, or a body operating

with governmental authorization that is not formally

a part of the government. There may be an

interrelationship between bodies in more than one of these

categories and the decision as to which is the appropriate

body to apply depends on which body actually conducts the

certification program or is most directly associated with it.

If an applicant’s authority to control use of a geographic

certification mark featuring a geographic designation is

not obvious, or is otherwise unclear, such as when the

applicant is not a governmental entity, the examining

attorney must request clarification, using a Trademark

Rule 2.61(b) requirement for information . . . One

acceptable response would be an explanation that

the relevant governmental body has granted the

147 Applicant’s response to Opposer’s request for admission No. 1 and Exhibit A (96

TTABVUE 12 and 18-19). Compare with the “Introduction” to the Official Mexican Standard

for Tequila (2012) which identifies “Mexico” as the holder of the “Origin Denomination

‘Tequila.’” (102 TTABVUE 148 at 150).

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Opposition No. 91190827

applicant the authority to implement the

certification program.

As noted above, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property authorized Applicant

to register TEQUILA as a certification mark in the United States because Applicant

is the organization that verifies compliance with the Official Mexican Standard for

Tequila. Applicant is “accredited and approved” to verify compliance with the

standard: that is, Applicant is authorized to evaluate whether the production of

Tequila meets the requirements of Mexican Law. 148

4.29 Compliance Assessment Agency

[Applicant] or the accredited and approved corporation,

under the terms established by the Law, to prove

compliance with this NOM. 149

Further, “No natural or artificial person [may] produce, bottle or market Tequila

that has not been certified by the Assessing Organism.” 150 As explained by Mr. Cruz,

All manufacturers and bottlers that fulfill those

requirements that are set on the official norm of tequila,

can be certified by [Applicant] because it has been certified

and approved to issue those certificates.

148 Official Mexican Standard for Tequila (2006) (102 TTABVUE 113 at 120); Official Mexican

Standard for Tequila (2012) (102 TTABVUE 148 at 154). See also Cruz Dep., pp. 8, 15-26 and

Exhibits 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A and 9A (170 TTABVUE 10, 17-18, 191, 197, 204, 209, 220, and

236); p. 55 (170 TTABVUE 57)(“[Applicant] is accredited and approved according to Mexican

laws to carryout activities or evaluation of the conformity.”).

149 Section 4.29 of the Official Mexican Standard for Tequila (2006) (102 TTABVUE 113 at

120); see also Section 4.31 of the Official Mexican Standard for Tequila (2012) (102 TTABVUE

148 at 154).

150 Section 10.1 of the Official Mexican Standard for Tequila (2012) (102 TTABVUE 148 at

162).

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Opposition No. 91190827

And I repeat, this accreditation and approval is issued by

the government of Mexico and based on the Mexican

laws. 151

In order to be certified as an authorized manufacturer of Tequila, a prospective

manufacturer of Tequila submits an application to Applicant. Applicant reviews the

application and investigates the applicant’s ability to produce Tequila in accordance

with the Official Mexican Standard for Tequila and issues an opinion letter. 152

With this opinion the manufacturer requests from the

national directory of norms the authorization to produce

tequila. The next step is that the manufacturer of tequila

requests from [Applicant] the authorized producer

number. 153

* * *

Once the following step, the manufacturer has to present

before the Mexican institution of industrial property the

authorization of use of the denomination of the origin of the

tequila.

These documents are necessary to request from

[Applicant], the certificate of fulfillment of the norm. Once

the counsel turns in this certificate of fulfillment of the

norm, a service contract between the manufacturer and

[Applicant].

Amongst other things, it is established the permanent

verification of the processing of the tequila, that is a

summary. 154

151 Cruz Dep. p. 56 (170 TTABVUE 58).

152 Cruz Dep. pp. 26-28 (170 TTABVUE 28-30). See also Cruz Dep., p. 32 (10 TTABVUE 34)

(when a manufacturer meets the NOM for the production of Tequila, Applicant issues a

certificate of fulfillment, sometimes referred to as a certificate of conformity).

153 Cruz Dep., pp. 26-28 (170 TTABVUE 28-30).

154 Cruz Dep., pp. 29-30 (170 TTABVUE 31-32). In the above-noted service contract, Applicant

agrees to execute its verification duties in an impartial and objective manner. Manufacturers

agree to comply with the tequila NOM and to open their facilities for inspection. Cruz Dep.,

pp. 35-36 (170 TTABVUE 37-38).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Only distilled spirits that comply with the Official Mexican Standard for Tequila may

use the term Tequila. 155

Bottlers of Tequila, such as Opposer, have agreed to abide by the Official Mexican

Standard for Tequila through co-responsibility agreements with authorized Tequila

manufacturers. 156 Co-responsibility agreements are “required when a manufacturer

sells tequila in bulk to a bottler,” 157 whether for rebottling 158 or for use as an

ingredient. 159 Even though the co-responsibility agreements are the responsibility of

the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, 160 Applicant maintains a record of the

co-responsibility agreements. 161 “Without this agreement, the commercialization of

tequila is not allowed.” 162

155 Cruz Dep., pp. 104-105 (170 TTABVUE 106-107).

156 Cruz Dep., p. 31 (170 TTABVUE 33). “The tequila products should have an agreement of

co responsibility with the bottlers that don’t produce tequila. And they could be located in

Mexico or anywhere in the world.” Id. at 36-37 (170 TTABVUE 38-39).

157 Cruz Dep., p. 62 (170 TTABVUE 64).

158 Cruz Dep., pp. 63-64 (170 TTABVUE 65-66) (any Tequila bottled in the United States

must be subject to a co-responsibility agreement).

159Cruz Dep., p. 66-67 (170 TTABVUE 69-70). Compare with Applicant’s response to

Opposer’s request for admission No. 8 (96 TTABVUE 54) where Applicant denied that “co-

responsibility Agreements allow U.S. distributors to mix tequila with other ingredients to

make cocktails.”

160 Cruz Dep., p. 57-59 (170 TTABVUE 59-61). See also Section 10.7 of the Official Mexican

Standard for Tequila (2012) which reads in pertinent part as follows:

[W]hen the tequila is bottled by another person other than the

authorized producer, a Joint Responsibility Agreement about

the compliance with this standard and the Industrial Property

Act must be filed before the IMPI [Mexican Industrial Property

Institute].

102 TTABVUE 164.

161 Cruz Dep., p. 41 (170 TTABVUE 43).

162 Id.

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Opposition No. 91190827

Q. What must a bottler of tequila do to become an

authorized bottler?

A. Fine, he has to sign an agreement of co-

responsibility with the manufacturer that is going to

provide the tequila. That agreement has to be

approved by the Mexican institute of industrial

property.

The other requirement is that it has to obtain from

the national directory of norms the certificate of

approved bottler or CAE. And it promises to present

reports every three months about its initial

inventory of purchases, sales, also their losses, final

inventory, the brands of tequila that have been

involved, the quality of bottled tequila in each one of

the brands and the numbers of the lots in which its

products were bottled. That is all.

Q. Does the bottler in the co responsibility agreement

agree to abide by the Mexican NOM for tequila?

* * *

A. [T]hey agree to fulfill the requirements in the

[NOM].

The [NOM] of the tequila provides that the bottler

can filter and dilute the tequila to a degree of

bottling basically. 163

Tequila may not be exported from Mexico unless Applicant issues a certificate of

export. 164

Applicant is akin to a foreign manufacturer’s importer or distribution agent who

may register a mark in its own name with the written consent of the owner of the

mark.

163 Cruz Dep. pp. 30-31 (170 TTABVUE 32-33). See also Cruz Dep., pp. 42-43 (170 TTABVUE

44-45).

164 Cruz Dep., p. 45 (170 TTABVUE 47).

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Opposition No. 91190827

It is well established that the ownership of a mark in the

United States as between the foreign manufacturer of a

product and the exclusive distributor thereof in this

country is a matter of agreement between them. (Internal

citations omitted). The acknowledgement, express or

otherwise, by the manufacturer of the goods abroad that

the trademark which it affixes to the goods is the property

right of the exclusive distributor or an assignment by the

manufacturer to the exclusive distributor of all of the

former’s rights in the trademark in the United States

together with the business and goodwill appurtenant

thereto, is sufficient to bestow upon the exclusive

distributor a right of ownership of the mark in the United

States sufficient to qualify him as “owner” of the mark for

purposes of registration under the 1946 Act.

In re Geo. J. Ball, Inc., 153 USPQ 426, 427 (TTAB 1967). See also Uveritech, Inc. v.

Amax Lighting, Inc., 115 USPQ2d 1242, 1249 (TTAB 2015) (quoting Lutz Superdyne,

Inc. v. Arthur Brown & Bro., Inc., 221 USPQ 354, 362 (TTAB 1884)); Global

Maschinen GmbH v. Global Banking Sys, Inc., 227 USPQ 862, 866 (TTAB 1985) (“It

is settled law that between a foreign manufacturer and its exclusive United States

distributor, the foreign manufacturer is presumed to be the owner of the mark unless

an agreement between them provides otherwise.”); Compania Insular Tabaclera, S.A.

v. Camacho Cigars, Inc., 167 USPQ 299, 302 n.1 (TTAB 1970) (“It is well established

that the ownership of a mark in the United States between a foreign producer and a

domestic representative is a matter of agreement between them.”).

Because Applicant is the entity that verifies compliance with the Official Mexican

Standard for Tequila and because the Mexican government through the Mexican

Institute of Industrial Property authorized Applicant to apply to register the

TEQUILA certification mark in the United States, we find that Applicant has the

right and authority to control the use of the term Tequila as a certification mark in

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Opposition No. 91190827

Mexico and in the United States, that Applicant is exercising legitimate control over

the use of the term Tequila in the United States, and that Applicant is the owner of

the TEQUILA certification mark for purposes of registration in the United States.

Therefore, we dismiss Count III of the Notice of Opposition (“Lack of legitimate

control”).

VIII. Fraud

Fraud in procuring a trademark registration occurs when an applicant for

registration knowingly makes a false, material representation of fact in connection

with an application to register with the intent of obtaining a registration to which it

is otherwise not entitled. In re Bose Corp., 580 F.3d 1240, 1245, 91 USPQ2d 1938,

1939-40, 1521(Fed. Cir. 2009); Torres v. Cantine Torresella S.r.l., 808 F.2d 46, 1

USPQ2d 1483, 1484 (Fed. Cir. 1986); Embarcadero Techs., Inc. v. Delphix Corp, 117

USPQ2d 1518 (TTAB 2016). A party alleging fraud in the procurement of a

registration bears the heavy burden of proving fraud with clear and convincing

evidence. Bose, 91 USPQ2d at 1243 (quoting Smith Int'l, Inc. v. Olin Corp., 209 USPQ

1033, 1044 (TTAB 1981)). For example, the Board will not find fraud if the evidence

shows that a false statement was made with a reasonable and honest belief that it

was true, rather than an intent to mislead the USPTO into issuing a registration to

which the applicant was not otherwise entitled. See id.; see also Woodstock's Enters.

Inc. (Cal.) v. Woodstock's Enters. Inc. (Or.), 43 USPQ2d 1440, 1443 (TTAB 1997), aff'd

(unpub'd), Appeal No. 97-1580 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 5, 1998). Intent to deceive is an

indispensable element of the analysis in a fraud case. See In re Bose Corp., 91

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Opposition No. 91190827

USPQ2d at 1941. The standard for finding intent to deceive is stricter than the

standard for negligence or gross negligence, and evidence of deceptive intent must be

clear and convincing. Id.

Opposer contends that Applicant’s misrepresentations set forth below “could not

have been made in good faith following a basic factual inquiry.” 165

A. “Applicant’s counsel falsely represented to the Examiner that the United

States recognizes tequila as an ‘appellation of origin.’” 166

In its June 9, 2005 response to an Office Action, Applicant argued that the

Trademark Examining Attorney “has ignored the U.S. government’s recognition of

‘tequila’ as an appellation of origin” and that “[w]hile the public may not be aware of

the governmental recognition of the term as an appellation of origin or the specific

certification function of ‘tequila,’ they do understand that the goods bearing the mark

come only from a specific region in Mexico and not to products produced elsewhere.” 167

More specifically, Applicant made the arguments set forth below:

I. U.S. GOVERNMENTAL RECOGNITION OF

TEQUILA AS APPELLATION OF ORIGIN BY

LAW AND TREATY

The Examiner states that he disagrees with Applicant’s

statement that tequila can only be produced in Mexico but

does not explain how his position is consistent with clear

U.S. government regulations and treaties requiring that

165 Opposer’s Brief, p. 52 (167 TTABVUE 53).

166 Opposer’s Brief, p. 52 (167 TTABVUE 53) (citing Applicant’s June 9, 2005 response to an

Office Action).

167 Pursuant to Trademark Rules 2.122(b)(1), the entire application file is automatically part

of the record. Therefore, arguments and submissions made by Applicant or the Trademark

Examining Attorney during the prosecution of the application are part of the record without

any action by the parties. See Cold War Museum, Inc. v. Cold War Air Museum, Inc., 92

USPQ2d at 1628.

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Opposition No. 91190827

any product bearing this mark must come from Mexico.

The U.S. government protects the designation tequila as an

appellation of origin in several ways.

A. BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS

REGULATIONS

[Citing, discussing, and attaching BATF Rule 5.22(g),

27 CFR § 5.22, and Rule 5.52(c)(1), 27 CFR § 5.52(c)(1).]

B. NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement also

includes United States recognition of and promise to

protect ‘tequila’ as an appellation of origin. As provided

by Annex 31 to the treaty, a copy of which is attached

as Exhibit 2):

[T]he United States shall recognize Tequila and Mezcal

as distinctive products of Mexico. Accordingly, Canada

and the United States shall not permit the sale of any

products as Tequila and Mezcal, unless it has been

manufactured in Mexico in accordance with the laws

and regulations of Mexico governing the manufacture of

Tequila and Mezcal.

Opposer argues that Applicant’s purportedly false and misleading statement

regarding the status of Tequila as an “appellation of origin” was designed to mislead

the Trademark Examining Attorney into believing that the word Tequila has a

“special status” under U.S. law. 168 While under U.S. alcohol labeling regulations only

wines can bear an appellation of origin to indicate the area in which the grapes are

used in the wine were grown, see 27 C.F.R. § 4.25, it is clear that in the context of

Applicant’s response Applicant meant a distinctive product of Mexico as defined by

the 27 C.F.R. § 5.22(g) and that it was understood as such by the Trademark

168 Opposer’s Brief, p. 52 (167 TTABVUE 53).

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Opposition No. 91190827

Examining Attorney. Thus, Applicant did not make a material misrepresentation.

Also, because it included the authorities on which it relied to support its argument

that Tequila is recognized as a distinctive product of Mexico and thereby entitled to

registration as a certification mark, the evidence suggests that Applicant had a

reasonable belief in its position rather than an intent to deceive the USPTO.

B. “Applicant averred that ‘practically 100% of the tequila products sold in the

world comes from a certified producer and certified brand.’” 169

In its February 1, 2007 response to an Office Action, Applicant argued that the

Trademark Examining Attorney’s concern that the existence of numerous third-party

registrations consisting in part of the word Tequila is evidence that Applicant does

not control the use of that term is unfounded. Applicant submitted a list of certified

Tequila producers, a list of bottlers authorized to use the term Tequila, and a list of

“marks” which were no longer in force to support the argument that Applicant

controls the use of the term Tequila.

In view of the many parties who are now or have in the past

been authorized to use the designation tequila, it is not

surprising that numerous parties own registrations

containing the word “tequila.” These registrations are no

way indicative of a lack of legitimate control over the mark

by Applicant. In terms of volume practically 100% of

the tequila product sold in the world comes from a

certified producer and certified brand.” (Emphasis

added).

Opposer asserts that the falsity of the statement is demonstrated by “evidence

showing tequila ‘originating in geographic locations other than the place named in

169 Opposer’s Brief, p. 52 (167 TTABVUE 53).

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Opposition No. 91190827

the proposed mark, including ‘more than 80 marks for brands of tequila not produced

in Mexico’ and attachments referencing production of ‘tequila’ in South Africa and

Argentina.” 170 Opposer is referring to the evidence in the October 19, 2004 Office

Action set forth below:

1. An article posted on July 6, 2003 on the IPGuardians.com website

Tequila

Regulations Council Takes Shots at “Fake” Tequila

Mexico exports many products that are named for their

geographic origin. Examples include mescal, bacanora,

sotol, amber of Chiapas, Ataulfo mangoes, and coffee of

Veracruz. However, none of these products is identified

with Mexico and aspects of its culture, such as traditional

costumes, as much as tequila. In fact, tequila, named after

its place of origin, the Tequila region of the state of Jalisco,

is a symbol of Mexico’s national identity.

* * *

Despite the popularity of Mexican tequila, many other

countries produce “tequila” that is not protected and

produced under appellation of origin regulations.

Worldwide there are more than 80 marks for brands of

tequila not produced in Mexico. Most such brands are

produced in the United States and Canada, which are the

two biggest markets for tequila after Mexico itself. In 2002,

U.S. consumers bought 18 percent of all tequila sold.

As a result, [Applicant] is taking action to ensure that

every bottle of tequila is [Applicant]-certified so that

consumers will enjoy a consistently high-quality product.

In the last two years, [Applicant] which has offices in

Washington, Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo, has destroyed

more than two million bottles of “fake” tequila in Asia,

Latin America, and the United States. [Applicant] is also

seeking to eliminate 30 trademarks for non-Mexican

170 Opposer’s Brief, p. 52 (167 TTABVUE 53 (citing the October 19, 2004 Office Action).

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Opposition No. 91190827

tequila in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Israel and the

United States.

2. An article posted on the MSNBC.com website (November 13, 2003) referenced

supra discussing a South African Tequila-like product.

3. An excerpt from a news report posted October 19, 2004 on the

TequilaAficianado.com website regarding a dispute between Applicant and two

companies in Argentina producing a Tequila-like product.

There is nothing of record to support Opposer’s claim that Applicant’s statement

was false or made with an intent to deceive the USPTO. Opposer does not offer one

iota of evidence that Applicant’s statement that “in terms of volume practically 100%

of the tequila product sold in the world comes from a certified producer and certified

brand” is false. The evidence, such as it is, is hearsay. Moreover, it does not contradict

Applicant’s statement (i.e., that there is unauthorized Tequila being produced and

sold does not mean that nearly all of the Tequila that is sold is not authorized

Tequila).

In view of the foregoing, we dismiss Count VI of the Notice of Opposition (“Fraud

on the USPTO”).

Decision: The opposition is dismissed.

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Opposition No. 91190827

This Opinion is a

Precedent of the TTAB

Hearing: September 12, 2016 Mailed: January 23, 2017

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

_____

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

_____

Luxco, Inc.

v.

Consejo Regulador del Tequila, A.C.

_____

Opposition No. 91190827

_____

APPENDIX

_____

Michael R. Annis of Husch Blackwell LLP,

for Luxco, Inc.

Lawrence E. Abelman and Marie-Anne Mastrovito of Abelman, Frayne & Schwab,

for Consejo Regulador Del Tequila, A.C.

_____

Before Kuhlke, Bergsman and Adlin,

Administrative Trademark Judges.

Opinion by Bergsman, Administrative Trademark Judge:

The Record

The record includes the pleadings and, by operation of Trademark Rule 2.122(b),

37 C.F.R. § 2.122(b), the file of the application of the mark at issue. The parties

introduced the following testimony and evidence:

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Opposition No. 91190827

A. Opposer’s testimony and evidence.

1. Opposer’s first notice of reliance on copies of Opposer’s pleaded

registrations for Tequila and other distilled specialty spirits consisting of

Tequila printed from the USPTO electronic database showing the current

status and ownership of the registrations; 171

2. Opposer’s second notice of reliance on relevant portions of Title 27 of the

Code of Federal Regulations and of the Federal Register purporting to show

that prior to 1973, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the U.S.

Treasury Department classified Tequila as a generic term, and after 1973,

it classified Tequila as a distinctive product of Mexico “manufactured in

Mexico in compliance with the laws of Mexico regulating the manufacture

of Tequila for consumption in that country.”; 172

3. Opposer’s third notice of reliance on recipes using Tequila appearing in

publications in general circulation; 173

4. Opposer’s fourth notice of reliance on prosecution history files from third-

party trademark applications purportedly showing that the USPTO

required that the exclusive right to use the word Tequila be disclaimed on

the ground that it is the generic name for the product; 174

171 87 TTABVUE.

172 88 TTABVUE. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms is the predecessor to the

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”). The TTB is responsible for the

administration and enforcement of the laws relating to distilled spirits.

173 89 TTABVUE.

174 91-93 TTABVUE.

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Opposition No. 91190827

5. Opposer’s fifth notice of reliance on the following items:

a. A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Office of the

United States Trade Representative and The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax

and Trade Bureau of the United States Department of Treasury With

Respect to the Implementation of the Agreement Between the Office of

the United States Trade Representative and the Secretaria De

Economia of Mexico on Trade in Tequila (December 16, 2005) from the

website of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) of the

U.S. Department of Treasury; 175

b. A copy of the Agreement Between the Office of the United States Trade

Representative and the Secretaria De Economia Of The United Mexican

States On Trade In Tequila from the public website of the U.S. Trade

Representative; 176

6. Opposer’s sixth notice of reliance on Applicant’s responses to Opposer’s

written discovery; 177

7. Opposer’s seventh notice of reliance on copies of articles published in

publications in general circulation; 178

175 90 TTABVUE 7-12.

176 90 TTABVUE 14-26.

177 95-96 TTABVUE and 97-99 TTABVUE (Confidential documents regarding unauthorized

use of the term Tequila).

178 94 TTABVUE.

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Opposition No. 91190827

8. Testimony deposition of Philip Johnson, Opposer’s consumer survey expert,

with attached exhibits; 179

9. Testimony deposition of James W. McMonagle, a consultant in the alcohol

and tobacco industry, with attached exhibits; 180

10. Testimony deposition of Ronald R. Butters, Ph.D., Opposer’s expert in

linguistics, with attached exhibits; 181

11. Testimony deposition of Gary B. Wilcox, Ph.D., Professor of Advertising at

the University of Texas, with attached exhibits; 182

12. Testimony deposition of David S. Bratcher, Opposer’s President and Chief

Operating Officer, with attached exhibits; 183

13. Testimony deposition of Daniel W. Streepy, Opposer’s Executive Vice

President of Sales, with attached exhibits; 184

14. Opposer’s first rebuttal notice of reliance on articles from the New York

Times; 185

179 126-127 TTABVUE.

180 128-129 TTABVUE.

181 130-142 TTABVUE.

182 143-146 TTABVUE.

183 147 TTABVUE. Opposer filed the Bratcher deposition a second time at 159 TTABVUE.

184 148-149 TTABVUE. Opposer filed the Streepy deposition a second time at 161

TTABVUE.

185 121 TTABVUE. These are purported to be copies of the articles in Applicant’s eighth and

ninth notices of reliance (110 TTABVUE and 111 TTABVUE). We note that Opposer did not

introduce full copies of the articles into evidence in its rebuttal notice of reliance. The

documents in Opposer’s rebuttal notice of reliance consisted of the headline and, in some

cases, the first paragraph of an article, as well as an advertisement for The New York Times

archive. It is the responsibility of the party making submissions to the Board via the

electronic database to ensure that the testimony and/or evidence has, in fact, been properly

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Opposition No. 91190827

15. Opposer’s second rebuttal notice of reliance on dictionary definitions of the

word Tequila”; 186

16. Opposer’s third rebuttal notice of reliance on articles appearing in printed

publications in general circulation; 187

made of record. See Weider Publ’ns, LLC v. D&D Beauty Care Co., 109 USPQ2d 1347, 1350-

51 (TTAB 2014) (it is the duty of the party making submissions to the Board via the Board’s

electronic filing system to ensure that they were entered into the trial record), appeal

dismissed per stipulation, No. 2014-1461 (Fed. Cir. Oct. 10, 2014). Accordingly, we use and

rely on the copies introduced by Applicant.

Opposer lodged an objection to the articles in Applicant’s eighth and ninth notice of reliance

on the ground that the articles do not qualify as printed publications in general circulation

because they are available only through a subscription to the archives of The New York

Times. (121 TTABVUE 4). Opposer’s objection is overruled. The articles were originally

published in a newspaper available to the general public. The Board generally finds that a

document identifying its publication date and source, as do Applicant’s documents, may be

introduced into evidence pursuant to Trademark Rule 2.122(e) if it is in general circulation.

See Safer Inc. v. OMS Invs. Inc., 94 USPQ2d 1031, 1037 (TTAB 2010). The copies submitted

with the notice of reliance were simply generated from an archive available by subscription.

Opposer did not suggest that any of the articles were erroneous. Moreover, their accuracy

was verifiable by researching the underlying source material at a public library. In this

regard, the Board “routinely accepts printouts of articles obtained from the Lexis/Nexis

database [a subscription service], when filed under notice of reliance, so long as the date

and source of each article are clear.” See Alcatraz Media Inc. v. Chesapeake Marine Tours

Inc., 107 USPQ2d at 1759. See also Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Katz, 24 USPQ2d 1230 (TTAB

1992); Int’l Ass’n of Fire Chiefs, Inc. v. H. Marvin Ginn Corp., 225 USPQ 940, 942 n.6

(TTAB 1985) (NEXIS printout of excerpted stories published in newspapers, magazines, etc.

are admissible because excerpts identify their dates of publication and sources and since

complete reports, whether through the same electronic library or at a public library, are

available for verification), rev’d on other grounds, 782 F.2d 987, 228 USPQ 528 (Fed. Cir.

1986).

Finally, effective January 14, 2017, Trademark Rule 2.122(e), 37 C.F.R. § 2.122(e), is

amended to include the holding in Safer permitting Internet evidence to be introduce

through a notice of reliance.

186 122 TTABVUE.

187 123 TTABVUE. These are purported to be copies of articles from Applicant’s fifth and

sixth notices of reliance (107 and 108 TTABVUE). Opposer objected to these articles on the

ground that access to these documents “either require a subscription in order to access the

subscribed article, or alternatively the website URL submitted by Applicant in its Notice of

Reliance is no longer available via the URL identified.” 123 TTABVUE 3. We overrule the

objection on the ground that access to the articles requires a subscription for the reasons

discussed in footnote 15 supra. Moreover, the copies of the articles proffered by Opposer

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Opposition No. 91190827

17. Opposer’s fourth rebuttal notice of reliance on two articles purporting to

quote Applicant’s Technical Commissioner for Tequila Regulations

Floriberto Miguel Cruz; 188

18. A copy of an expert report by Philip Johnson entitled “A Review And

Critique Of The Simonson Survey”; 189

19. Rebuttal Expert Report of Gary Wilcox, Ph.D. 190 and

20. Rebuttal Testimony Deposition of David Bratcher, Opposer’s President and

Chief Operating Officer, with attached exhibits. 191

B. Applicant’s testimony and evidence.

1. Testimony deposition of Floriberto Miguel Cruz, Applicant’s Technical

Commissioner for Tequila Regulations, with attached exhibits; 192

2. “Expert Declaration of Alexander Simonson, Ph.D.,” including Simonson’s

critique of the Philip Johnson survey; 193

suffer the same defects as the articles from The New York Times discussed in footnote 15.

Accordingly, we use and rely on the articles introduced by Applicant.

188 124 TTABVUE. Mr. Cruz did not recall being interviewed for those articles. Cruz Dep.,

pp. 77-79 (170 TTABVUE 79-81).

189 151 TTABVUE 6-44. The expert report was stipulated into evidence. 151 TTABVUE 204.

190 151 TTABVUE 46-59. The expert report was stipulated into evidence. 151 TTABVUE

204.

191 165 TTABVUE.

192 170 TTABVUE and 169 TTABVUE (Confidential). The transcript originally was filed at

113-115 TTABVUE and improperly submitted as “highly confidential.” The transcript,

without exhibits was refiled at 164 TTABVUE.

193 100 TTABVUE 7-42. The expert report was stipulated into evidence. 100 TTABVUE 5-6.

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Opposition No. 91190827

3. “Report of A Survey to Determine the Extent to Which the Term ‘Tequila’

on Alcoholic Beverage is Perceived by Relevant Consumers to Indicate that

the Product is Made in Mexico,” by Alexander Simonson; 194

4. Discovery deposition of Alexander Simonson, with attached exhibits; 195

5. Expert report of Bruce Isaacson, Ph.D., President of MMR Strategy Group,

a marketing research and consulting firm, evaluating the expert report of

Gary Wilcox, Ph.D.; 196

6. Discovery deposition of Bruce Isaacson with attached exhibits; 197

7. Applicant’s first notice of reliance on the discovery deposition of Donn

Sherman Lux, Opposer’s Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, with

attached exhibits; 198

8. Applicant’s second notice of reliance on the following items:

194 100 TTABVUE 43-163. The expert report was stipulated into evidence. 100 TTABVUE 5-

6.

195 100 TTABVUE 164-601 (partial deposition and exhibits), 177 TTABVUE (text of entire

deposition). The deposition was introduced through stipulation. 100 TTABVUE 5-6. The

deposition resides in two separate prosecution entries because the text of the entire

deposition did not appear in the initial filing. After notification from the Board, Applicant

filed the complete transcript, without exhibits, at 177 TTABVUE. We remind parties that it

is their responsibility to ensure that the testimony and/or evidence has, in fact, been

properly made of record. See Weider Publ’ns, LLC v. D&D Beauty Care Co., 109 USPQ2d at

1350-51.

196 100 TTABVUE 602-733. The expert report was stipulated into evidence. 100 TTABVUE

5-6.

197 100 TTABVUE 734-990. The deposition was stipulated into evidence. 100 TTABVUE 5-

6.

198 101 TTABVUE.

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Opposition No. 91190827

a. “Trade in Tequila Agreement” printed from the website of the TTB of

the U.S. Department of Treasury; 199

b. Industry Circular No. 2006-3 (May 5, 2006) printed from the website of

the TTB of the U.S. Department of Treasury providing the “Standard of

Identity for Tequila”; 200

c. “Certificate of Age and Origin Requirements for Imported Alcoholic

Beverages” printed from the website of the TTB of the U.S. Department

of Treasury; 201

9. Applicant’s third notice of reliance on the following items:

a. Opposer’s responses to Applicant’s first set of requests for admission

Nos. 1-12; 202

b. Opposer’s responses to Applicant’s interrogatory No. 11; 203

c. Opposer’s supplemental responses to Applicant’s requests for

admission Nos. 13 and 18-25; 204 and

d. Opposer’s second supplemental responses to Applicant’s

interrogatory Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11; 205

10. Applicant’s fourth notice of reliance on the following items:

199 103 TTABVUE 6.

200 103 TTABVUE 11.

201 103 TTABVUE 16.

202 104 TTABVUE 6-13.

203 104 TTABVUE 15-19.

204 104 TTABVUE 21-28.

205 104 TTABVUE 30-41.

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Opposition No. 91190827

a. Opposer’s responses to Applicant’s second set of requests for

admission Nos. 3, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 26, 28 and 31; 206 and

b. Opposer’s responses to Applicant’s third set of request for admission

Nos. 1-18; 207

11. Applicant’s fifth notice of reliance on articles in publications in general

circulation; 208

12. Applicant’s sixth notice of reliance on articles in publications in general

circulation; 209

13. Applicant’s seventh notice of reliance on dictionary definitions of Tequila,

the Wikipedia entry for Tequila, and the entry for Tequila in the

Encyclopedia Britannica; 210

14. Applicant’s eight

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