DuetsBlog


"DuetsBlog was born out of the chasm that can divide legal and marketing types. Sometimes this separation can be explained by the difference between left and right brain dominance. Sometimes it is driven by arrogance or rigidity. Sometimes Dr. No is the root of the problem, standing in the way of progress and stifling important business goals. Other times, simple oversight is the culprit. Whatever the reason, this divergence can be a formidable obstacle to early coordination, planning, and dialogue between legal and marketing teams. When this happens, most certainly the opportunity for an organization to be strategic, create and own great value, and protect it, is diminished, if not lost altogether. DuetsBlog is our effort to facilitate a more ambidextrous approach and promote early—and very graceful—collaborations among legal and marketing teams."

Author: Stephen R. Baird, Tiffany A. Blofield and Michael T. Olsen are partners at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis; Sharon D. Armstrong, Karen A. Brennan, Daniel J. Kelly, Brent A. Lorentz and Bradley J. Walz are associates there; and Laura Gutierrez is a marketing multimedia communications specialist there.

Blawg Related Categories: Law Practice Management • Legal Marketing & Consulting • Associate • Partner

Recent Posts from DuetsBlog


  • To Do: Secure Domain Name for New Product

    This reminder is a bit late for new Christmas-season consumer products, but it bears repeating year round, as companies contemplate new products:  buy domain names associated with a new product before announcing the new product. …

  • My Aha Moment

    If you've been paying attention to the trademark front, you've probably heard that Oprah and Mutual of Omaha recently settled a small skirmish over the use of "aha moment."  The skirmish was apparently ignited by…

  • Nostalgia Calling

    While browsing through a toy store recently, I noticed what appears to be a trend in branding this holiday season – reintroducing classic or “nostalgic” toys.   It is very hard for me to accept that the…

  • Let's Play "Truth or Consequences": The New FTC Guides for Endorsements & Testimonials Bring Truth a Little Bit Closer

    We all would agree that “As Seen on TV” is one of the great brands of all time. The brilliant marketeers behind it recognized the extraordinary power of television – people believe as true what they…

  • Supreme Court Declines to Hear Redskins Trademark Case

    Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the requested appeal of Harjo v. Pro-Football, Inc., the nearly two-decade old trademark case seeking cancellation of the U.S. Trademark Registrations owned by the NFL franchise in the Nation's Capitol. In doing…

  • Delicious Marks: Candy Bar Cross-Section Trademarks?

    A couple of months ago I saw in a convenience store a large Snickers point-of-sale floor-display depicting a prominent and attention-getting cross-section of a Snickers candy bar. Given Mars' apparent interest in owning and creating non-traditional trademark rights surrounding the Snickers…

  • Happy Holiday Before the Holidays

    As we hit the ides of November, we are nearing the proverbial calm before the storm of the holidays. What you probably do not know is that we are but two, short days away from a…

  • Purple People Eater Jim Marshall & Friends Take on the NFL

    Viking fans will recall the famous Purple People Eaters from the late 1960s through the late 1970s. The nickname arose for the defensive line of the Vikings from their purple jerseys and the popular Sheb Wooley song…

  • Corporate Coups and Trademark Abandonment

    [Spoiler alert – this post is about the season finale of Mad Men. If you haven’t watched it, please skip this post (never fear, you can revisit it in the archives once you’ve watched the episode)]. …

  • You See Blue Ovals, I See 3D Spheres

    I must admit, I was quite intrigued by Dan Kelly’s Duets blog entry “I See Blue Ovals” (August 28, 2009). It got me thinking about some of the trends occurring in logo design today. My 20+…