Legal Definitions - tarnishment

Definition: Tarnishment is a type of trademark dilution that happens when someone uses a trademark without permission in a way that harms the reputation of the mark and reduces its uniqueness. This can happen when the unauthorized use of the mark creates a negative association with the mark in the minds of consumers.

Example: Let's say there is a well-known brand of luxury watches called "Luxury Timepieces." If someone were to start selling cheap, low-quality watches under the name "Luxury Timepieces," this would be an example of tarnishment. The use of the name in this way would harm the reputation of the original brand and reduce its uniqueness.

Another example of tarnishment could be if a company used a well-known brand's logo in a way that was offensive or inappropriate. This could create a negative association with the brand in the minds of consumers and harm its reputation.

Overall, tarnishment is a serious issue for trademark owners because it can harm the value of their brand and make it more difficult to protect their intellectual property rights.