The website Pinterest is a social networking and content sharing
site launched in the USA in March 2010 by Pinterest, Inc.
Most of its activity has been US-based though there has more
recently been some activity in the UK and continental Europe.
Someone somewhere overlooked the need for trademark protection,
and to date at least, they may have missed the boat in Europe with
potentially dire consequences. In January 2012, AH Innovation
Limited applied at the Community Trade Mark Office (OHIM) to
register PINTEREST as a Community Mark for services including
"education; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities
and personal and social services rendered by others to meet the
needs of individuals." This was apparently made in good faith
and was allowed to advertisement without problem. It was
opposed by Pinterest, Inc. based on some use of their website
throughout Europe under their unregistered mark. The
PINTEREST application was assigned to Premium Interest
