Usually, a trademark becomes abandoned if the owner does not continue to use the trademark. In this light, it is a question whether Oldsmobile or General Motors can continue to claim it has rights in this trademark. If this is true then someone else may begin use of the Oldsmobile trademark. Interestingly, the Pierce Arrow Automobile Club won a trademark appellate ruling that the club has some collective membership trademark rights and thus were able to prevent someone from using Pierce Arrow for a new automobile. See this link below.

See the below link.

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2020/0...ign=2020-01-08

I also sent this information to the Oldsmobile Club of America

As Monty Python would intone, "and now for something completely different" (from the usual mechanical content).

Best regards, Charlie Brown.

 

I don't know much, but this is what I got when I googled it:

https://trademarks.justia.com/742/18...-74218329.html

 

Thanks. This registration shows the trademark is for paper and printed materials, not for automobiles. This makes sense. Could someone use this trademark for automobiles? I think General Motors would have something to say about that and has deep pockets to back their bluster.

 

Just a couple of comments here as I'm no expert.

1. GM may not use "Oldsmobile" on a car, but they can still use it in other ways to maintain its use such as in advertising, parts, at the GM Heritage Center, and so forth. I doubt that it's safe to say that Oldsmobile has abandoned the trademark.

2. I don't know that the comparison with Pierce Arrow is all that relevant. The Pierce-Arrow company no longer exists. The company that owns the Oldsmobile name IS still in business, even if they're not making a car with that time. It's interesting that a court would assign rights to the Pierce Arrow name to a club that honors the make. But I guess that, at this point, that's the closest thing to any legal entity with an interest in the name.

 

Wow! Cool article.

 

The General Motors that owned Oldsmobile is no longer in existence. General Motors Corporation was liquidated during the bankruptcy, with the assets transferred to the newly formed GMHC holding company. Afterwards, the name of GMHC was to General Motors LLC. It is unknown if all the trademarks owned by the former General Motors Corporation, specifically for divisions not in business prior to the bankruptcy and liquidation, were transferred by the court to GMHC/General Motors LLC.

 

Here's something interesting.

Florida Man Tries to get Oldsmobile dnd Pontiac trademark

 

If it helps, re-read my reply #2 above ^^^^^ regarding General Motors LLC.

 

Reminds me of John Cleese trying to get a license for his pet fish Eric.