The Hartz Mountain Corporation

The Challenge:
The Hartz Mountain Corporation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and sellers of pet products, sold through over 40,000 brick and mortar retailers in the US and Canada as well as online. With over 1,500 pet care products, its business success significantly depends on creating differentiated product lines, immediately recognizable brands and a strategic plan to minimize conflicts with competitors. Hartz Mountain needed a strategic-minded legal partner who understood its industry, the law involved and was willing to look at the matters from a holistic business perspective, not just as one-offs. Being business people who think from a strategic business perspective made us a logical partner.

The Results:
Members of our team have proactively represented Hartz for over 18 years in protecting its global business by conducting trademark clearance searches, filing applications, prosecuting and defending oppositions and cancellations, litigating, and handling IP issues related to its internet presence. Letting no obstacles get in the way of advancing Hartz Mountain’s business goals when patent litigations arise, we have even been known to aggressively defend our client by hopping a plane to China to get firsthand knowledge and videotape the full manufacturing process in order to contest an infringement claim. Through strategic counseling and a preventative business approach that has produced cost savings and a practical return on investment, and by training the marketing team on the characteristics of an effective trademark and brand, we have empowered Hartz Mountain to be proactive in protecting and promoting Hartz Mountain.