Bravado International Group Merchandising Services, Inc. v. Does 1-100 et al

Filing 1

COMPLAINT against All Defendants Filing fee: $ 350, receipt number 0101-3888511 (Fee Status: Filing Fee paid), filed by Bravado International Group Merchandising Services, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Appendix Category Form)(Oliverio, Michael) (Attachment 2 replaced in non-fillable format on 4/5/2012) (Moore, Kellyann).

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
____________________________________
)
BRAVADO INTERNATIONAL GROUP )
MERCHANDISING SERVICES, INC., )
)
Plaintiff,
) CIVIL ACTION NO. 12-cv-10607
vs.
)
)
JOHN DOES 1-100, individuals,
)
JANE DOES 1-100, individuals,
)
and XYZ COMPANY, business
)
entity form unknown, inclusive,
)
)
Defendants.
)
____________________________________)

COMPLAINT FOR TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT AND
VIOLATIONS OF THE LANHAM ACT
Plaintiff Bravado International Group Merchandising Services, Inc., files this
complaint against defendants, alleging as follows:
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
1.

This action arises under the Lanham Trademark Act 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051

et seq. (the "Lanham Act"). Accordingly, this Court has federal question jurisdiction over
the subject matter of this action pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1221 and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1338(a),
(b). Venue in this district is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b).
PARTIES
2.

Bravado International Group Merchandising Services, Inc. ("Plaintiff") is

a California corporation with its principal place of business in Los Angeles, California.
3.

Defendants John Does 1-100, Jane Does 1-100 and XYZ Company who

are sued herein under fictitious names because their true names and capacities are

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unknown at this time. This complaint will be amended when their true names and
capacities are ascertained.
4.

Upon information and belief, the individual defendants will be present in

and about the District of Massachusetts in connection with the claims asserted below and
are or will be subject to the jurisdiction of this Court.
5.

On information and belief, defendant XYZ Company through its agents,

servants and employees, is or will be present in and about the District of Massachusetts
and is or will be subject to the jurisdiction of this Court.
6.

Defendants, and each of them, are individuals and business entities who,

upon information and belief, are acting in concert and active participation with each other
in committing the wrongful acts alleged herein. Defendants John Does 1-100, Jane Does
1-100, and XYZ Company are hereinafter referred to collectively as "Defendants."
THE BACKGROUND OF THE ACTION
7.

Plaintiff is engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of various

types of merchandise sold and distributed at concerts and at retail stores of musical
performing artists and groups, including tour and program books, T-shirts, jerseys,
sweatshirts, hats, buttons and posters (collectively "Merchandise") which embody the
names, likenesses and trademarks of various musical performers and groups.
8.

“RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS” (the "Group ") is the trademark used by

this group in connection with these performing, recording, merchandising and other
related goods in all aspects of the entertainment industry and to distinguish their services
from all other such group. The Group has used their trademarks in connection with their
recording and performing services for approximately 30 years. The Group’s “RED HOT

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CHILI PEPPERS” trademark is federally registered: Federal Registration No. 3034051,
International Class (“IC”) 25 for use in connection with T shirts, boxer shorts,
sweatshirts, socks, and hats, IC 9 for use in connection with prerecorded video cassettes,
pre-recorded audio discs, pre-recorded audio cassettes and tapes, CDs, digital audio discs,
digital video discs, and phonograph records featuring musical performances, IC 16 for
use in connection with stickers, photographs, posters, biographical pamphlets, songbooks,
and calendars, and IC 41 for use in connection with entertainment services in the nature
of live performances by a musical group; Registration No. 1657379 (mark and design),
IC 16 for use in connection with stickers, photographs, posters, biographical pamphlets;
and Registration No. 1649744 (mark and design), IC 41 for use in connection with
entertainment services in the nature of live performances by a musical group. Federal
Registration Nos. 1657379 and 1649744 are incontestable.
9.

Pursuant to an agreement between the Group and Plaintiff (the

"Agreement"), Plaintiff possesses the exclusive right to utilize all federally registered
trademarks, servicemarks, likenesses, logos, and other indicia of the Group (collectively,
the "Group’s Trademarks") on and in connection with Merchandise ("Tour
Merchandise") sold and offered for sale in the vicinity of the Group’s concerts on their
present North American concert tour (the "Tour").
10.

The Group has a decidedly strong and loyal following among those who

attend popular music concerts and record buyers. The Group has appeared in concerts at
major arenas and stadiums in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world and
the Group has been seen and heard in concert by millions of popular music enthusiasts.
The Group has sold over 50 million units of recordings.

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11.

As a result of the foregoing, the Group’s Trademarks have developed and

now possess secondary and distinctive meaning to purchasers of the Tour Merchandise
bearing any or all of the Group’s Trademarks.
12.

Plaintiff and the Group annually realize substantial income from the sale

of the Tour Merchandise bearing the Group’s Trademarks, and hundreds of thousands of
such items have been sold throughout the United States.
13.

On May 7, 2012, at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, the Group

will perform (the "Concert").
14.

Pursuant to the Agreement, the Group has granted to Plaintiff the

exclusive right to market articles of clothing and other Tour Merchandise bearing any or
all of the Group’s Trademarks at or near the site of the Concert and at all other arenas and
stadiums in which the Tour will perform. The authorized Tour Merchandise bearing any
or all of the Group’s Trademarks will be distributed throughout the United States in
connection with the Tour.
DEFENDANTS' UNLAWFUL CONDUCT
15.

On information and belief, Defendants will sell and distribute

unauthorized T-shirts, jerseys, caps and/or other merchandise bearing any or all of the
Group’s Trademarks (the "Unauthorized Merchandise") in the vicinity of the Concert
before, during and after their performance, and at subsequent concerts during the Tour.
The Tour has commenced and Defendants have begun to sell their Unauthorized
Merchandise and will continue to do so in this District.

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16.

The Unauthorized Merchandise is of the same general appearance as

Plaintiff's Merchandise and is likely to cause confusion among prospective purchasers.
Defendants' Unauthorized Merchandise is not authorized by the Group or Plaintiff.
17.

The Unauthorized Merchandise sold and to be sold by Defendants is

generally of inferior quality. The sale of such merchandise has injured and is likely to
injure the Plaintiff’s reputation for high quality goods.
18.

The aforesaid acts by Defendants and others are likely to cause the

purchasing public to believe that the sale of such Unauthorized Merchandise is
authorized, sponsored or approved by the Group and/or Plaintiff and that such
Unauthorized Merchandise is subject to the same quality control and regulation required
by the Group and/or Plaintiff, despite the fact that this is not true. It also injures Group
and Plaintiff in that Defendants do not have to pay any royalty for these unlawful sales.
19.

The aforesaid manufacture, distribution and sale of Unauthorized

Merchandise bearing the trademarks, servicemarks, likenesses, logos and other indicia of
the Group constitutes a false designation of the source of origin of such goods and falsely
describes and represents such merchandise. The use by Defendants and others of the
Group’s Trademark also constitutes an attempt to palm off and appropriate to themselves
the Group’s and Plaintiff's exclusive rights therein.
20.

Upon information and belief, Defendants and others have and will

continue to engage in such unauthorized activities in this state and elsewhere in interstate
commerce and are likely to continue such activities throughout the Tour, to the great
injury of Plaintiff and the Group.

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21.

Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law and will suffer irreparable harm

and damage as a result of the aforesaid acts, in an amount presently incalculable.
FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Infringement of Registered Trademark)
22.

Plaintiff realleges each allegation set forth in the paragraphs above.

23.

By reason of the foregoing, Plaintiff hereby asserts a claim against

Defendants for injunctive and monetary relief pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1114(b) with
respect to Defendants' infringement of the registered mark.
SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Violation of the Lanham Act)
24.

Plaintiff realleges each allegation set forth in the paragraphs above.

25.

By reason of the foregoing, Plaintiff hereby asserts a claim against

Defendants for injunctive and monetary relief pursuant to Section 43(a) of the Lanham
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a), with regards to the false designation of origin and false
descriptions and representations in commerce of Defendants’ Unauthorized Merchandise.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff seeks relief against Defendants as follows:
A.

As to All Claims For Relief, that Defendants, their agents, servants,

employees, officers, attorneys, successors and assigns, and all persons acting in concert
with them, be enjoined in this and all other judicial districts in the United States,
preliminarily during the course of this litigation and permanently from: 1) manufacturing,
distributing, selling, offering for sale, holding for sale or advertising any products,
merchandise or goods bearing the name, trademark, or likeness of the Group or any
colorable variation or imitation thereof; and 2) representing that any products,

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merchandise or goods manufactured, distributed, sold, held for sale or advertised by them
is sponsored or authorized by Plaintiff in this district or in any other district in which
Plaintiff seeks to enforce this Court's injunction order.
B.

As to All Claims For Relief, that this Court order the United States

Marshal, the local and state police or sheriff, off duty officers of the same, authorized
agents of Plaintiff, and/or any persons acting under their supervision to seize and
impound any and all Unauthorized Merchandise which the Defendants attempt to sell,
distribute or hold for sale at, within or in the vicinity of the arenas at which the Group is
performing, whether this occurs before, during or after the concerts on the Tour.
C.

That Defendants deliver up for destruction all Unauthorized Merchandise.

D.

As to All Claims For Relief, that Defendants pay to Plaintiff damages in

an amount to be determined.
E.

As to All Claims For Relief, that Plaintiff be awarded its costs, attorneys

fees and such other and further relief as the Court deems to be just and proper .
Dated: April 5, 2012

Respectfully Submitted
BRAVADO INTERNATIONAL GROUP
MERCHANDISING SERVICES, INC.
By Its Attorneys
/s/ M. Lawrence Oliverio
M. Lawrence Oliverio, Esq., BBO #378755
Rissman, Hendricks & Oliverio LLP
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 2101
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Cara R. Burns, Esq. (Cal. Bar # 137557)
Hicks, Mims, Kaplan & Burns
3250 Ocean Park Blvd, Suite 350
Santa Monica, California 90405
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

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