A corporate rebrand is one of the most expensive, longest-term strategic bets a company can make. Most fail before any work begins. Here’s why. Allen Adamson is Co-Founder of Metaforce, Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, and a leading expert on branding and corporate strategy. This article examines how companies can determine whether
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Trader Joe’s Calls It a Squircle. Shoppers See an Uncrustable.
Smucker’s most valuable trademark has no name and no logo. It’s round, crimped, and frozen. A federal judge just said the case over it can move forward. Allen Adamson is Co-Founder of Metaforce, Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, and an expert witness in trademark, branding, and consumer perception disputes. This column examines
Aldi Changed the Name, the Color, the Font, and the Photo. The Package Still Says Oreo.
Allen Adamson is Co-Founder of Metaforce, Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, and an expert witness in trademark, branding, and consumer perception disputes. This column examines what the Mondelez v. Aldi trade dress lawsuit reveals about look-alike packaging, consumer perception, and the value built into distinctive brand assets. Originally published September 1, 2026
Delta’s “Basic Business” Is A Good Start. Now Finish The Job.
You ever wonder why an airline seat is still sold like a prix-fixe menu? For as long as any of us can remember, the choice has been Business, Comfort Plus or Coach. Each one a fixed bundle. You want the flat seat, fine, but it’s tied to a lounge, a checked bag, a pile of miles and a three course meal at ten o’clock at night. Take it all. No substitutions.
Matthew McConaughey Trademarked ‘Alright, Alright, Alright.’ What He Actually Registered Was a Brand
This column examines how Matthew McConaughey’s trademark filings highlight the growing challenge of protecting celebrity brands, AI-generated voices, and brand equity through trademark law.
As AI makes a voice or face easy to copy, celebrities are reaching for trademark protection. The harder question is whether the law can defend what the brand is actually worth.
When the Taylor Swift Brand Drowns Out a Smaller One, Trademark Damages Ask the Wrong Question
This column examines how the Taylor Swift trademark dispute highlights reverse confusion, trademark damages, reasonable royalty analysis, and brand equity loss in trademark litigation. Reverse confusion produces a kind of harm the standard damages formula was never built to measure. There is a framework that fits. By Allen Adamson In November, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) refused Taylor Swift’s application to register The Life of a Showgirl.
LULULEMON DUPE Is Not a Trademark Filing. It Is a Damages Argument.
This article explores how Lululemon’s recent federal trademark registration for the phrase “LULULEMON DUPE” signifies a strategic shift from traditional brand defense to monetization. The filing changes the harm story brand owners can tell in court. Trademark counsel still running the old playbook on dupe cases are about to lose ground they did not know they were standing on.
The Alani Nu Lawsuit Is a Product Liability Case. The Brand Strategy Is the Evidence.
This column examines how marketing strategy, influencer positioning, packaging design, and consumer messaging can become evidence in product liability, false advertising, and consumer perception litigation. When every marketing decision contradicts the warning label, a brand expert can explain exactly what happened and why.
Anthropic and the Law Firms That Fought Back Have Something in Common: The Market Rewarded Them for It
This column examines how brand integrity, public trust, and values-driven decision-making can influence consumer perception, corporate reputation, and long-term market value during periods of public scrutiny and reputational risk. On March 9, Anthropic filed two federal lawsuits against the Trump administration after the Pentagon designated the company a “supply chain risk to national security.”
Trademark Damages Ask What the Infringer Made. They Should Ask What the Brand Lost.
This column examines how trademark infringement can damage consumer perception, brand equity, and long-term market value, making reputational harm and brand impact central issues in trademark damages litigation.