Phillip Morris Sues Another Tobacco Company

Source from:  Oct 31, 2007 RICHMOND, Va. (Associated Press) 11/01/2007

Philip Morris USA is suing Lorillard Tobacco Co. claiming its use of the letter "M" to promote its Newport cigarettes cashes in on Philip Morris's iconic Marlboro brand. The nation's No. 1 tobacco company filed suit in U.S. District Court in Richmond seeking to block Lorillard from using an "M" in its packaging for Newport, contending it unfairly infringes on its top-selling brand. Lorillard, which is based in Greensboro, N.C., filed an application in February with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to register "M Newport Blend" and "M Newport Blend The Way to Chill" as trademarks. The Richmond tobacco giant claims Lorillard is engaged in "a blatant attempt to trade on the long-standing goodwill and equity of Philip Morris USA's M mark and its related Marlboro brand." Enditem