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2d ago

BGH Rules ‘Miss Moneypenny’ Not Protected as a Work Title

The decision upholds a Hamburg judgment, clearing businesses to reference the name in advertising.

Image
Lois Maxwell als Miss Moneypenny im „James Bond“-Film „Der Spion, der mich liebte“ von 1977
Miss Moneypenny ist nicht individuell genug: Der Name der fiktiven Sekretärin aus dem James-Bond-Universum bekommt keinen Werktitelschutz, wie der Bundesgerichtshof entschied.
Der BGH urteilt über Markenschutz für "Miss Moneypenny".

Overview

  • The Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe found the James Bond figure lacks work‑title protection (Werktitelschutz) under case number I ZR 219/24.
  • The judges said the character does not exhibit a sufficiently individualized visual depiction or distinctive personality traits.
  • The ruling allows secretarial and similar services to market themselves with references to “Miss Moneypenny.”
  • The judgment confirms an earlier Oberlandesgericht Hamburg decision rejecting the rights holder’s claim that the figure is independently protectable.
  • The defendant operates services under “Moneypenny” and “My Moneypenny,” with related domains and a registered word mark, and Amazon has since assumed the rights tied to the failed lawsuit.