Why Intellectual Property is Important For Your Business - trademarks

From Wiggin & Dana's Franchise Law Blog:

IHOP tells investors “Oops”

IHOP recently disclosed that it inadvertently allowed certain of its federal trademark and service mark registrations to lapse, which will require it to revise its Uniform Franchise Offering Circular ("UFOC"). IHOP advised investors that it is taking corrective measures with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, that it has also temporarily stopped selling new franchises pending the approval of state regulators to its changes to the UFOC. IHOP predicted that it will fix the problem “very shortly” and that “any issues regarding the validity of its federal trademark and service mark registrations will not have a material impact” on the franchise system. See this article for more details.