21
March 2023
Past Event
Jack Daniel’s v. VIP Products Argument Preview: The Supreme Court Takes On Humorous Uses of Trademarks

Event will air on this page.

 

Inquiries: mdewitt@hudson.org

Jack Daniel’s v. VIP Products Argument Preview: The Supreme Court Takes On Humorous Uses of Trademarks

Past Event
Online Only
March 21, 2023
pexels
Caption
(Pexels)
21
March 2023
Past Event

Event will air on this page.

 

Inquiries: mdewitt@hudson.org

Speakers:
Megan K. Bannigan
Megan K. Bannigan

Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton

Ben Sheffner
Ben Sheffner

Senior Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Law & Policy, Motion Picture Association

Vijay Toke
Vijay Toke

Partner, Rimon Law

Moderator:
hartline
Devlin Hartline

Senior Fellow

Listen to Event Audio

On March 22, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Jack Daniel’s v. VIP Products, an important dispute at the intersection of the First Amendment and trademark law. The case concerns VIP’s dog toy that copies Jack Daniel’s iconic Tennessee whiskey bottle, but with the name changed to “Bad Spaniels” and other humorous elements added. Jack Daniel’s claims that the toy infringes its trademarks and trade dress, while VIP maintains that its parodic use is protected expression. The Supreme Court will decide whether the Ninth Circuit erred in applying a First Amendment test that gives broad protection to humorous products that allegedly infringe. It will also address whether VIP’s use is noncommercial and thus immune from liability for tarnishing Jack Daniel’s reputation.

Please join Hudson Legal Fellow Devlin Hartline and expert panelists Megan K. Bannigan, Ben Sheffner, and Vijay Toke for a discussion on the importance of striking the right balance between free speech and trademark protection.

Related Events
15
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How to Transform the Japan Self-Defense Force for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence
Featured Speakers:
David Byrd
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Masashi Murano
A member of the Philippine Navy looks out at as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Takanami during a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on June 14, 2025. (Getty Images)
15
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How to Transform the Japan Self-Defense Force for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence

Join report authors Bryan Clark and David Byrd, in conversation with Masashi Murano, for a discussion of the report's principal findings and their implications for how Japan should design and resource its future defense force.

A member of the Philippine Navy looks out at as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Takanami during a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on June 14, 2025. (Getty Images)
Featured Speakers:
David Byrd
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Masashi Murano
15
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Code as Witness: COVID Origins, Scientific Accountability, and Preventing the Next Pandemic
Featured Speakers:
John P. Walters
Steven Quay
Senator Roger Marshall
David Asher
Getty Images
15
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Code as Witness: COVID Origins, Scientific Accountability, and Preventing the Next Pandemic

Join Hudson as David Asher sits down with Dr. Quay for a fireside chat. Senator Roger Marshall, who has been a leading voice for stronger oversight of high-risk biological research, will open the program by framing the stakes for Congress, national security, and public health.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
John P. Walters
Steven Quay
Senator Roger Marshall
David Asher
18
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Deterring Russia and China: Securing America’s Nuclear Future
Featured Speakers:
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Brandon Williams
Getty Images
18
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Deterring Russia and China: Securing America’s Nuclear Future

Join Senior Fellow and Keystone Defense Initiative Director Dr. Rebeccah Heinrichs and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration Brandon Williams for a discussion on the administration's priorities in strengthening the US nuclear enterprise.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Brandon Williams
18
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Advancing American Interests through Trade, Investment, and Commercial Diplomacy: A Conversation with Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt
Featured Speakers:
David Feith
William Kimmitt
Joel Scanlon
Getty Images
18
June 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Advancing American Interests through Trade, Investment, and Commercial Diplomacy: A Conversation with Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt

Join Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade William Kimmitt for a discussion with Senior Fellow David Feith on how the Trump administration’s trade and investment strategy is reshaping economic partnerships with allies across areas like industrial policy, digital services, and strategic competition.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
David Feith
William Kimmitt
Joel Scanlon