Ross Waldram, Senior Associate in the Intellectual Property team, was recently featured in the City A.M. newsletter, commenting on the legal action taking by Japanese toy giant Epoch against a Kildare-based TikTok star over parody videos involving the brand’s Sylvanian Families dolls.
Ross explained that the Tik Tok star “is likely to have made money from social media views and through collaborations with well-known brands.”
He also advised that “The owners of the Sylvanian Families brand may be concerned that their brand would be prejudiced by associating a wholesome family brand with the more melodramatic aspects of the skits.”
Ross went on to explain how the case is not straightforward “as it is necessary to consider how the TikTok videos are presented, the perception of the Sylvanian Family brand, and the effect of the skits on the public.”