On May 27, 2022, the court decided by jury, to uphold Gibson’s long-established and well-recognized trademarks for Gibson’s innovative and iconic guitar shapes, finding that the Gibson Trademarks are valid, the Gibson shapes are not generic, and the defendants were guilty of both infringement and counterfeiting. This sets a clear precedent for the future of Gibson’s intellectual property.
On July 28, the court issued an injunction permanently enjoining Armadillo (known as Dean Guitars) from the manufacture, advertisement, and/or sale of its guitars that infringe on Gibson’s ES, SG, Flying V, and Explorer trademarks, and the Hummingbird wordmark.
Gibson is once again very pleased with the outcome after years of simply trying to protect their brand and business through well recognized intellectual property rights, rights that have been Gibson’s for decades.
Gibson’s guitar shapes are iconic and now are firmly protected for the past, present, and future. From a broader perspective, this court decision is also a win for Gibson fans, artists, dealers, and related partners. Not to mention for all of the iconic American brands that have invested in meaningful innovation and continued protection, only to see it diluted with unauthorized and often illegitimate knock-offs. Gibson can now focus attention on continuing to leverage its iconic past, and invest in future innovation, with confidence.
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