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Kellogg Co. v. National Biscuit Co. Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: National Biscuit Co. sued Kellogg Co. for unfair competition, claiming exclusive rights to the name “Shredded Wheat” and its pillow shape. The Supreme Court held Kellogg could use both, as they were generic/functional and entered the public domain after patent expiration.
Legal Significance: Established that generic terms and functional product features pass into the public domain upon patent expiration, limiting trademark protection and promoting competition.
Kellogg Co. v. National Biscuit Co. Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
National Biscuit Company (NBC) acquired the business producing “Shredded Wheat,” a pillow-shaped breakfast cereal, originally developed by Henry Perky. Perky held patents for the product, manufacturing process, and machinery, which used “shredded” descriptively. These patents, including one for the pillow shape, expired by 1912. Kellogg Company, a competing cereal manufacturer, began producing a similar pillow-shaped biscuit called “Shredded Wheat” in 1927. NBC sued Kellogg for unfair competition, alleging exclusive rights to the name “Shredded Wheat” and the pillow shape, claiming Kellogg was passing off its goods as NBC’s. Kellogg argued the name was generic, the shape functional, and both were in the public domain post-patent expiration. Kellogg also contended it took reasonable steps to distinguish its product, using distinct packaging prominently displaying the “Kellogg’s” name.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Did National Biscuit Company possess the exclusive right to use the term “Shredded Wheat” as a trade name and to manufacture the cereal in a pillow shape, thereby preventing Kellogg Company from using the same name and shape for its competing product after the expiration of the original patents?
No. The Supreme Court reversed the Circuit Court of Appeals, holding that Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est labor
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Did National Biscuit Company possess the exclusive right to use the term “Shredded Wheat” as a trade name and to manufacture the cereal in a pillow shape, thereby preventing Kellogg Company from using the same name and shape for its competing product after the expiration of the original patents?
Conclusion
Kellogg v. National Biscuit Co. is a foundational case in U.S. trademark Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occae
Legal Rule
Upon the expiration of a patent, the public acquires the right to Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut e
Legal Analysis
The Court, per Justice Brandeis, reasoned that "Shredded Wheat" is the generic Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo conseq
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Upon a patent’s expiration, the generic name (“Shredded Wheat”) and functional
