Like many of you, I have used the term "lunch and learn" as a generic label for an informal lunchtime training program for your employees. I've even written an article on this site encouraging managers to use these informal training programs at lunch as a way to help employees grow and develop and become more valuable to the company.
However, I recently learned that a training company has trademarked "Lunch N Learn" and that that trademark apparently extends to the phrase "lunch and learn" as well. As a result, I have removed the phrase from my article and will use a different way to label these programs. I think "informal lunchtime training program" is too long and I don't like the abbreviation of that phrase, ILTP, so I'll have to think of something else. If you have any ideas, or other comments, please click the comments link below to add them.
In the meantime, I still believe the idea of informal lunchtime training programs is a good idea and recommend you read my article to learn how using such programs can help you, your employees, and your company.
Dog and pony show usually means sales demonstration but we have used it interchangeably with dine and discover lunches.
“dine and discover” – great. Thanks.
-John
Sales and Sustinanc?
Mastication metting?
These are just a couple of ideas that popped into my mind when i was reading your artical.
Hope it helps, please send cheques to…….
I like “Luncheon Learn”
And when they complain about the phonetic similarity, I’d tell them to “goat two el”
We received the same Cease ‘N Desist order for our casual use of the phrase Lunch ‘N Learn or in our case Lunch-n-Learn. In our case it was used by a not-for-profit trade association. Here are some ideas we are considering. Some are just funny.
Munch and Learn
Gobble and Gab
Dine out/Break in
Luncheon Learn
Lunch and/or Learn
Lunch [redacted] Learn
Lunchee Learnee
Unchlay ‘N Earnlay
eat LUNCH & LEARN something
Learning @ Lunch
Enjoy!
We do the “lunchtime lessons” or “lessons-n-lunch” but it could alse be displayed as:
lessons
lunch
or “lessons over lunch.”
I like the “goat2L” above. Let’em trademark that!
Working Lunch
I too received a legal takedown notice from Employee Development Systems, Inc. via their law firm Laff Campbell Tucker & Gordon”. I removed the reference to “Lunch and Learn” from my website, but I did this because I am a small business and cannot afford a run in with lawyers. However, I think their threatening letters are bunk. Here is why.
A quick Google book search turns up references to the generic use of “Lunch and Learn” as a lunchime learning session that go back to 1913 at least. A general web search for “Lunch and Learn” yields 331,000 hits today.
EDSI’s trademark is for “Lunch ‘n Learn”: notice the and has become an “‘n”. A USPTO search reveals that the term “Lunch and learn” has never been trademarked — probably because it is too generic. You have to ask why EDSI would choose to trademark the abbreviated term instead of the full term, or fail to trademark both, if either option was available to them.
The lawyers’ assertion that “Lunch and Learn” sounds confusingly like “Lunch ‘n Learn” is correct, but has the cart in front of the horse.
I just found out about this trademark today (during a learning session over lunch). Sad, but not surprising. Even the traditional “Happy Birthday” song is trademarked.
Great substitutes submitted here!
Dear John, I recently received a surprising letter from the law firm who represents EDS, the company that trademarked the lunch’n learn mark on November 17, 1998. they have sent me one of those lovely cease and desist letters (including an option to license this generic phrase). I have opted to change the name. My husband came up with the name Munch ‘n Moan seminars. What do you think of this?
Munch and Moan? Are they really that bad
Lots of good alternatives suggested. I think they are doing their company and brand more harm with this campaign than any financial gain they could hope to realize from it.
I also received a letter from Laff Campbell Tucker & Gordon. My question is: why aren’t they sending their letters to all of the big companies and universities and other attorneys who are all using Lunch N Learn?
I too am now struggling to find a new title for the program I offer at lunch time. Been thinking about Lunchtime Learning. My husband, an attorney, is concerned that it might be too close to LNL. What do you all think?
Yours,
Heidi BK Sloss
http://www.heidisloss.com
hsloss@heidisloss.com
ludicrous.
what’s trademarked next?
wine and dine?
stop and go?
rest and relaxation?