商標識別性問題之研究：以吳季剛MISS WU商標申請案為探討核心

Trademark Distinctiveness Issues–Focus on MISS WU Trademark Applications of Jason Wu

2009 年與2013 年，吳季剛兩度替美國第一夫人蜜雪兒設計總統就職典禮晚會服裝，2010 年起連續三年，馬英九總統夫人周美青也是身穿吳季剛設計的品牌禮服出席國慶大典。吳季剛欲在台灣註冊新品牌「MISS WU」商標，智慧財產局卻認為「MISS WU」為「吳小姐」之英文稱謂，不具商標識別性，因此不准註冊。吳季剛不服提出訴願未果，再提行政訴訟，智慧財產法院予以駁回。筆者認為可以用「時尚界譁然，法律界噤聲」來形容此一「MISS WU」智慧財產權申請案例。本文主要是根據經濟部智慧財產局的核駁書與智慧財產法院的行政判決書，來探討吳季剛「MISSWU」商標申請案，包括商標的註冊要件、商標識別性問題以及商標識別性的判斷基準，例如智慧財產局駁回吳季剛「MISSWU」商標申請案的理由為何？智慧財產法院的判決吳季剛「MISSWU」商標申請案敗訴的理由為何？爭點是什麼？

In 2009 and 2013, the United States first lady Michelle Obama wore Jason Wu's dresses twice at the presidential inaugural balls, and first lady Chow Mei-ching also wore a dress of Wu'sdesign brand dress at the national day celebration ceremony three consecutive years since 2010. Wu applied to register 'MISS WU' as a trademark in Taiwan, but the Intellectual Property Office rejected Wu's application for the reason that 'MISS WU' was a common female title of any unmarried woman surnamed Wu in Taiwan and therefore devoid of any distinctiveness. After the administrative appeal was rejected, Wu filed a suit against the office with the Intellectual Property Court but was rejected still. The author described the application as a case that 'sparked uproar in fashion industry but muzzled the legal profession.' In the article, the author discussed the distinctiveness problem of trademark application in the MISS WU case, based on the Office action of Intellectual Property Office and the written judgment of the Intellectual Property Court.