The registration of the "Surf City USA" trademark inflamed a historical dispute between the California coastal cities of Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz.[1] Both cities claimed the "Surf City" nickname, but after the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau (now Visit Huntington Beach) filed three trademark applications for "Surf City USA" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2004,[2] a new conflict erupted, a controversy Surfer dubbed "Moniker-gate."[3] The resulting publicity generated the equivalent of several million dollars in advertising with thousands of stories and news reports broadcast across the globe.[4] A lawsuit was eventually settled in January 2008 which validated Huntington Beach's exclusive rights to the trademark.[5]
- ^ Guth, Robert A. (April 12, 2007). "Goin' to Surf City? Two Coastal Towns Claim the Title" (PDF). The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ "Huntington Beach now official Surf City". The San Diego Union-Tribune/North Country Times Wire Services. December 4, 2004. Archived from the original on January 7, 2024. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ Glaister, Dan (July 24, 2005). "Lawyers jump in as cities fight for surf title". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024.
- ^ "Surf City USA legal battle is over". SurferToday.com. January 23, 2008. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ Carcamo, Cindy (January 22, 2008). "Huntington Beach Settles Surf City USA Lawsuit". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2024.