Many wineries understand the importance of protecting their brand names through trademark registration and enforcement in the market, but producers should not overlook protection that may be available under U.S. trademark law for distinctive elements of product packaging and design. Considering trade dress within your overall intellectual property enforcement strategy will allow you to protect the unique aspects of presentation that make your product stand out on crowded market shelves. Trade dress is a type of trademark encompassing elements of product packaging and design which, taken together or separately, indicate to consumers that a product or service originates from a particular source, and which distinguish goods of one producer from those of its competitors. It is the look and feel of a product or service in the marketplace, and may consist of elements like size, shape, color, imagery, and decorative aspects of packaging. Trade dress must either be inherently distinctive or ha

In today’s competitive market, knowing your customers is not just an advantage—it’s essential. Data appends offer businesses a way to enrich their customer data, providing deeper insights that can transform marketing strategies, improve customer experiences, and drive revenue. What Are Data Appends? Data appends involve adding new information to your existing customer database. This could include demographic details, email addresses, phone numbers, or behavioral data. The goal is to build a more comprehensive profile of your customers. Think of your friends or coworkers. If you knew one thing about them – Joe likes Cabernet Sauvignon – it would be tough to carry on a conversation with Joe for very long. You’d run out of things to say. But if you also know that Joe likes reading historical fiction and woodworking, is taking adult education classes in painting and art appreciation, and has traveled to Asia several times, you could converse all even

With the start of the new year, it is time to dust off the employee handbook, review your policies and procedures, and make sure they comply with all the new laws, regulations, and interpretations that have either already gone into effect or will in early 2023. Below, we have identified our “top 10” changes. Please keep in mind there were hundreds of laws, regulations, and changes implemented at the local, state, and federal levels throughout 2022.  So, if you need a handbook/COVID-19 policy review or have any questions, please call. 1. California and Local Minimum Wage Raised – In addition to the gradual increase to minimum wage that has been in effect under California law, several Sonoma County cities have increased minimum wage beyond that required by the state. Below is a table that describes the state and local city requirements: Locality Effective Date Employers With 26 Or More Employees Employers With Less Than 26 Employees California 1/1/2023 $15.5

I was reading an article about early-spring gardening tasks, and they were suggesting that May was a great time for maintenance. The types of things recommended, such as cleaning and sharpening tools, checking bulbs and seeds for moisture or mold, mulching existing flower beds, and planning for new ones, all made sense and almost inspired me enough to get off the warm couch and go out to my shed to investigate. But, because I’m a nerd, my mind immediately followed the theme to a digital correlation.  Websites are a virtual “garden.” Their goal is to appeal to customers, draw them in and create an inviting setting so they may stay awhile. We design new sections within them, like adding blogs or recipes, we plant new products and SKUs and prune old ones no longer available. Sometimes we get tired of the entire thing and change the color scheme and layout with new pictures or templates. Like a garden, we should tend to our websites because if we let them sit over t

In 2018, California adopted the most extensive privacy provisions in the United States, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA.) Emulating provisions adopted in Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the CCPA gives California consumers of certain, generally larger, businesses rights relating to the use and sale of personal information like names, addresses or internet purchasing history. In general, the CCPA provides consumers with the right to learn what categories of personal information are collected or sold; to request businesses delete their personal information or opt-out of the sale of their personal information; and creates liability for failing to reasonably protect consumers’ personal information. California residents voted 56%-44% in the November 2020 election to amend and expand the CCPA through the passage of Proposition 24, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). Proposition 24 imports more of the GDPR’s provisions, providing