Times-Mail:
Pizza Express, which has a store in Bedford, will change its name to Pizza X in March.
The change was spurred in part over last year’s flap over the chain’s use of the name Big Ten Bargain (first offered in 1988) for one of its pizza specials, said owner Jeff Mease. In September, the Big Ten Conference asked them to stop using the name for its large pizza, breadsticks and soda combo. It is now known as the Big Bargain.
The incident “made us realize how important the whole concept of intellectual property is,†Mease said.
“It’s a disadvantage to us to have a name that’s not protected in the widest possible realm, which means having a federal trademark.â€
He said a new logo is being developed, with an eye toward maintaining the same feel for the brand. The company’s cups, boxes and napkins will be the first to be changed to read Pizza X, Mease said, while the store signs will be changed later. Company mascot Express Man will keep his job.
According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office Web Site, registering for a trademark will give nationwide constructive notice that the trademark is owned by the registrant. It means if another company uses the mark, they will be treated as though they knew their use of it was a trademark infringement, even if they had no actual knowledge of prior use of the mark. Registrants also get the right to sue in federal court for trademark infringement.