TTABlogger Receives Refusable Offer From "Patent Trademark Register"

When the registration certificate for THE TTABLOG arrived last month, I expected it to be followed by a shipload of tantalizing offers for framed copies, bronzed copies, t-shirts bearing copies, etc. Here (pdf) is one of the offers that I was able to refuse. We can hope that if a client of yours receive the same offer, it will file it in the appropriate circular file.

front of letter(click on photo for larger image)
This outfit, which is apparently called ODM srl, of Vienna, Austria, offers for a mere $2,380 to register my "patent" in its "private Database" for one year. Note that there is no "extra charge" nor "value added tax." [Such a deal!] However, there is a caveat:

"Please notice that this private registration hasn't any connection with the publication of official registrations, is not a registration by a government organization, and we haven't any business relation yet."

back of letter(click on photo for larger image).
The terms and conditions appear on the back; they include:

3. The Directory which are [sic] edited by the WIPO-World Intellectual Proberty [sic] Organization, will be published on Internet and on CD-Rom, which will be updated every 3 months. The insertion fee covers the offered edition for one year including insertion update during this time.

Personally, I think the International Star Registry would be a much better deal. I could register THE TTABLOG and about two dozen other names for the cost of a one-year entry for a single mark in the Patent Trademark Register.

Text Copyright John L. Welch 2008.