Mountains & Mermaids, a small Alaskan online clothing retailer is clashing with coffee giant Starbucks over the use of the term “Siren” in their respective businesses.  Many of the Alaskan company’s casual wear products sport a design featuring a siren holding a coffee cup.  The company recently began using the design on coffee.

Last year the Alaskan company filed US trademark applications for SIREN’S BREW in respect of certain clothing items and coffee beans.  Earlier this year Starbucks applied to register the trademark SIREN’S BLEND for coffee products. The US Trademark Office rejected Starbucks’ application, citing “likelihood of confusion” with the Alaskan company’s earlier-filed trademark application for SIREN’S BREW in respect of coffee beans.

Starbucks is now opposing the Alaskan company’s SIREN’S BREW trademark application on the basis of Starbucks’ longstanding association of coffee with a siren through its famous green logo.

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