Infringing Trademark Owner's Rights or Consistent with Freedom of Speech Principle? (Comparative Study)

Trademark parody which has been recognized as an example of freedom of speech is a means to comment on products introduced by trademark. In this type of imitation, inspired by the original trademark, a humorous form of it is drawn in order to convey a specific message to the reader. Here, the benefits of three groups are at stake: trademark owners who enjoy exclusive rights; parodists who enjoy freedom of expression, and the public who are entitled to benefit from the results of parody. In the law of the Unites States and countries such as France and Germany, case law has played a significant role in balancing these conflicting interests. Similarity between the parodied trademark and parody and the specific effect of parody on the trademark have led trademark owners to bring infringement and dilution actions. In the Iranian law, there is no specific provision as to trademark parody. However, principle 24 the Iranian Constitution concerning freedom of expression is a suitable basis for recognizing trademark parody. In this paper, it has been suggested to provide for parody in laws as an exception to trademark owner's exclusive rights and to declare its boundaries.