The Energon Pub

[Razorclaw0000]

In a response to Hasbro's attempt to trademark the name "Airachnid", the United States Patent and Trademark Office has denied the attempt in a document released on March 10th, 2010.

The USPTO cites an existing trademark which is too similar to "Airachnid":

Registration of the applied-for mark is refused because of a likelihood of confusion with the mark in U.S. Registration No. 2917921.

...

Applicant’s mark, AIRACHNID, is highly similar to registrant’s mark, ARACHNOID. The marks are both intended to be plays on the word “arachnid,” and as such, are highly similar in impression. Additionally, the first portion of the marks, “AIRACHN” and “ARACHN” are nearly identical in sound and appearance, and the final portion “NID” and “NOID” is also highly similar. Note that slight differences in the sound of similar marks will not avoid a likelihood of confusion.

...

The highly similar wording raises the likelihood that a consumer may believe applicant’s goods to be related to registrant’s goods, and ultimately from the same source.

To see the full body of the Trademark application and the decision, search here and enter Serial Number 77892423. Review the document labeled "Offc Action Outgoing". You can also see this document here.

Seibertron.com: your source for trustworthy Transformers news!

[Overcracker]

A possible name for an HFTD Insecticon repaint? Perhaps they can all it Bugbite instead ad paint him white with lilac wings.

[Razorclaw0000]

A possible name for an HFTD Insecticon repaint? Perhaps they can all it Bugbite instead ad paint him white with lilac wings.

This was supposed to have been in connection with a character in Transformers: Prime, apparently, according to S250.

[Elita_5]

It's for the best, anyway. The name is silly.

[UltraPrimal]

It's a dumb name anyways. When I think of "Airachnid" I think of a helicopter with spider legs. Which is stupid, but awesome.

[Sky-Quake]

very dumb name anyway if I were say a Decepticon with that name I would be walking out on the battlefield saying somebody shoot me so I can be rebuilt into a new character like Tidalwave or Energon Inferno LOL

[Covenant]

That's a shame. I actually like the name 'Airachnid'. It's got that cheez-filled fun of a Beast Wars name to it.

As for the denial on the name, over-nitpicking, completely unnecessary imo. The name should have been a go, preference for it aside, in my book.

[craggy]

I vote for Eireachnid. Make him or her an Irish Helicopter Spider. Go for a stereotypical drunken character and it'd go some ways to explaining the ridiculous of the name. Or, y'know, just use Blackarachnia, and ensure some sales to people who don't give a damn about TF: Prime but to like big bootied spider-girl-bots.

[Mindmaster]

Would have made a pretty good Transformer name, most likely a Decepticon. But if they had gotten a hold of it and it was a Decepticon, they were probably gonna pull a twist in the plot; Airachnid somehow defects to the Autobot side much like Blackarachnia did in Beast Wars.

[Galvatron X]

Very interesting...but schtoopid!

Seriously though, that's not a really good name anyway...

[amtm]

Applicant’s mark, AIRACHNID, is highly similar to registrant’s mark, ARACHNOID. The marks are both intended to be plays on the word “arachnid,” and as such, are highly similar in impression. Additionally, the first portion of the marks, “AIRACHN” and “ARACHN” are nearly identical in sound and appearance, and the final portion “NID” and “NOID” is also highly similar. Note that slight differences in the sound of similar marks will not avoid a likelihood of confusion.

...

The highly similar wording raises the likelihood that a consumer may believe applicant’s goods to be related to registrant’s goods, and ultimately from the same source.

That's like saying because "are" and "air" sound similar, English speakers will be confused as to which one you mean when you talk to them. Who says the "A" in "Arachnid" like the "Ai" in "Air"? And who says "oid" like "id"? Someone at the patent office needs a new job.

[Noideaforaname]

It's for the best, anyway. The name is silly.

It's a dumb name anyways.

Seriously though, that's not a really good name anyway...

I can't help but think of Aesop's fable about the fox and the grapes (though in all fairness I'm ignoring any name criticism from before this bit of news).


Anyway, saying it sounds sort of to similar to another name seems like a weak reason to deny a trademark -- although I personally am putting an obnoxious, yet typical for a toy commercial, emphasis on the "air" in "Airachnid."
This won't effect not-Airachnid's looks, will it? I'm fully expecting some flying arachnid (as in a spider, or a solifugid, or even an amblypygid... that... flies) to come out of this at some point, and hopefully not just an Insecticon repaint.

[Oilspill]

Crapness of the name aside (and it is a terrible name), this does give an interesting insight into why Hasbro are frequently unable to use the traditional names for a character.

I mean, see what the patent office are getting at, but I think there is quite an obvious difference between airachnid and arachnoid. Particularly as the emphasis is on the 'air' and the 'noid' in each word (at least the way I would pronounce them) which further sets them apart.

[Sabrblade]

Kinda reminds me of this guy.