There's been quite a bit in the news about Rolls Royce going
after a rapper in the USA. The rapper goes by the name of
Royce Rizzy, but the complaint is apparently not limited to the
singer's name, but extends to the fact that he's also made
some use of the Rolls Royce name and logo.
As the rapper is presumably not in the business of making
aircraft engines or luxury motor vehicles, we can probably assume
that the parties aren't in competition, and that the complaint
deals with what many of us simply refer to as
'dilution'. The term isn't strictly accurate
because it refers to a form of trade mark protection that covers
any unauthorised use of a registered trade mark that is well known,
if that use either dilutes or tarnishes the registered trade mark,
or takes unfair advantage of its reputation. Confusion as to
the origin of the products is not a requirement.
