Forest River Complaint
Forest River Complaint
Forest River Complaint
COMPLAINT
Plaintiff Forest River, Inc. (“Forest River”) states the following for its causes of action
costs, attorneys’ fees, and any other appropriate relief arising out of inTech’s knowing and
intentional infringement of Forest River’s DELLA TERRA trademark and its mountain design
trademark, (the “Forest River Mountain Design”) (Forest River Mountain Design and
DELLA TERRA collectively, the “Forest River Marks”) under the Lanham Act, the Indiana
(“RVs”), cargo trailers, utility trailers, pontoon boats, and buses, among many other products. Over
the years, Forest River has built a significant amount of goodwill throughout the RV industry and
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has amassed a loyal customer base in the United States and Canada due to its innovative, high-
3. Forest River began using the Forest River Marks to brand, promote, advertise,
market, and sell a new line of its RVs (the “DELLA TERRA RVs”) through East to West, one of
its unincorporated divisions. Forest River has extensively promoted, advertised, marketed, and
sold a significant number of DELLA TERRA RVs under the Forest River Marks. As a result, the
Forest River Marks are distinctive and well recognized at common law throughout the industry
and with consumers in the United States and Canada. The Forest River Marks are the subject of
4. inTech is one of Forest River’s competitors in the United States and Canadian
markets, having its principal offices only thirty minutes from Forest River’s offices in Elkhart,
Indiana. inTech is knowledgeable of Forest River’s RV product lines and trademarks and, in fact,
certain of its leadership have past connections with Forest River. Starting in November 2020,
inTech began a campaign to sell a new line of RVs by confusing consumers into believing its new
RVs are DELLA TERRA RVs. inTech has branded this new line “Terra”—confusingly similar to
DELLA TERRA—and also brands it with a new mountain design similar to Forest River’s RVs.
Using “terra” and the mountain design by themselves, in combination with each other, and even
in combination with a third mark that Forest River had used in the past—OASIS—inTech is
trading off the goodwill that Forest River has built in the Forest River Marks.
TERRA. inTech’s use of its new mountain design is infringing Forest River’s trademark rights in
the Forest River Mountain Design. inTech’s use of “Terra” and its new mountain design combined
in composite marks is infringing composite marks comprising the Forest River Marks. All of
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inTech’s infringements are causing confusion in the RV industry and consumers in violation of
the Lanham Act, Indiana state law, and common law, entitling Forest River to the relief sought in
this Complaint.
Elkhart, Indiana.
Indiana.
8. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this case and controversy under 28
U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338 because the action arises under the federal Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C.
§ 1051, et seq.
9. This Court has supplemental jurisdiction to hear the state statutory and common
law claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367(a). Those claims are so related to the Lanham Act claim
that they form part of the same case or controversy under Article III of the United States
Constitution and, moreover, are derived from a common nucleus of operative facts.
10. This Court has personal jurisdiction over inTech because inTech resides in the State
of Indiana, is incorporated in Indiana, conducts substantial business within Indiana, and the actions
11. Venue is proper in this Court because both Forest River and inTech reside within
this judicial district and division. Substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the
claims asserted in this Complaint occurred within this judicial district and division, including the
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FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Forest River’s Use of the DELLA TERRA and Forest River Mountain Design Marks
12. Forest River was founded in 1996 with the vision to help customers better enjoy
the outdoors by designing RVs meeting their needs. Over the last three decades, this vision has
become a reality and Forest River is now one of the largest manufacturers of RVs throughout North
America, producing a wide range of high-quality RVs, cargo trailers, utility trailers, pontoon boats,
buses and other products. Forest River showcases and sells its RVs and other products throughout
13. Forest River’s name, brands, and trademarks—including the Forest River Marks—
have developed significant goodwill and commercial value as a result of Forest River’s promotion,
advertising, and marketing and high volume of sales of its products. This has, in turn, resulted in
the public’s widespread knowledge of Forest River’s high-quality RVs and other products.
14. Since at least as early as March 2018, Forest River began selling the DELLA
TERRA RVs through East to West, one of its newer and highly successful unincorporated
subdivisions. Forest River began promoting, advertising, marketing, and taking orders for the
DELLA TERRA RVs, branding them under the DELLA TERRA mark in plain text, in stylized
font, and in combination with some of its other marks, including the Forest River Mountain
Design:
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15. By way of one early example of Forest River’s promotion of the DELLA TERRA
RVs, on or around August 2, 2018, Forest River posted a YouTube video promoting the DELLA
TERRA line, which received over 11,000 views. See Forest River, Inc., 2019 East To West RV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHG2qnwn13Q.
16. On or around September 24, 2018, Forest River featured the DELLA TERRA RVs
at the Elkhart RV Dealer Open House, one of the largest and key trade shows within the RV
industry. This trade show attracts dealers, customers, and RV enthusiasts from across the United
States. Upon information and belief, inTech representatives were also in attendance at, and
17. Throughout 2018, Forest River continued to promote and advertise RV lines using
the DELLA TERRA mark in the above ways, along with other third-party media platforms and
dealers in the RV industry. By way of a few more examples in 2018: Andy Thompson, Della Terra
Travel Trailer Review: Just Arrived & Ready to Go, FUNTOWNRV (Oct. 25, 2018),
https://www.funtownrv.com/blog/della-terra-travel-trailer-review-just-arrived-ready-to-go/; and
Valerie Law, Hot off the Line: East to West Della Terra, TRAILERLIFE (Oct. 22, 2018),
https://www.trailerlife.com/rv-gear/rvs/hot-off-the-line/.
18. At least as early as March 2018 to the present, Forest River has expended
substantial time and money, in excess of $100,000, and additional resources to market, advertise,
and promote the DELLA TERRA RVs, including through online advertising, social media posts,
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19. As a result, Forest River has had significant sales of its DELLA TERRA RVs. Since
at least as early as March 2018 to the present, Forest River has had sales of DELLA TERRA RVs
20. Since at least as early as March 2018 , RV dealers have sold Forest River’s DELLA
TERRA RVs throughout the United States and internationally, including those in Alabama,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
21. Since at least as early as April 2018, Forest River has also used the Forest River
Mountain Design in connection with the sale, promotion, and advertisement of all, or substantially
all, of its other RV brands sold through its East to West subdivision.
22. Forest River has attained significant and valuable goodwill in the Forest River
Marks through the quality and nature of the DELLA TERRA RVs as well as its other products
sold under the Forest River Mountain Design, and through its extensive sales, promoting,
advertising, and marketing under the Forest River Marks, across the United States and
internationally.
23. The Forest River Marks are distinctive to both the consuming public and to those
in the RV industry. Consumers understand that the DELLA TERRA RVs and other products sold
under the Forest River Marks originate from Forest River. The Forest River Marks have come to
signify the high quality of the DELLA TERRA RVs and Forest River products more generally,
and have acquired incalculable distinction, reputation, and goodwill belonging exclusively to
Forest River.
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24. Forest River owns distinctive, valid, and subsisting nationwide common law rights
to the Forest River Marks as a result of its widespread and continuous use of the Forest River
Marks.
25. Additionally, Forest River’s DELLA TERRA mark has been registered in the State
of Indiana, Reg. No. 2021000026640. A true and accurate copy of the Certificate of Registration
is attached hereto as Exhibit A. Forest River applied for registration of DELLA TERRA on the
United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) principal register, Serial No. 90881645.
26. The Forest River Mountain Design has also been registered in the State of Indiana,
Reg. No. 2021000026648. A true and accurate copy of the Certificate of Registration is attached
hereto as Exhibit B. Forest River applied for registration of the Forest River Mountain Design on
27. inTech is one of Forest River’s direct competitors in the recreational vehicle
industry.
28. inTech has had actual knowledge of Forest River’s use of the Forest River Marks
as a result of Forest River’s far-reaching promotional, advertising, and marketing campaign of the
DELLA TERRA RVs, through its attendance at the same trade shows as Forest River, through the
general availability of this information in the public space and online, as well as through written
29. inTech began using the word “Terra” to brand its own new line of RVs in or around
November 2020, despite its actual knowledge of Forest River’s first use of the Forest River Marks
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30. inTech’s use of “terra” in stylized font strikingly similar to Forest River’s DELLA
TERRA mark:
31. inTech’s ongoing use of the word “Terra” conveys a confusingly similar
connotation and produces the same mental impression in consumers as DELLA TERRA, whether
used in plain font, stylized font, or as part of composite marks with other graphics and logos.
32. inTech also began using a mountain design to brand its RVs as part of its new
“Terra” promotional and advertising campaign (the “Terra Campaign”). Prior to November 2020,
inTech had used a different mountain design that had included forestry at the mountain’s base but
changed its design to coincide with, and as a part of, the Terra Campaign.
33. inTech’s new mountain design is confusingly similar to the Forest River Mountain
Design, just as inTech’s use of “Terra” is confusingly similar to the DELLA TERRA Mark:
34. A comparison of the outlines of the parties’ respective mountain designs further
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35. inTech’s use of its mountain design conveys a similar general connotation and
produces the same mental impression as the Forest River Mountain Design to consumers.
36. inTech even began using a mark that Forest River had used to brand its RVs—
OASIS—in its Terra Campaign in order to further confuse consumers into initially believing that
37. inTech and Forest River operate within the exact same industry and use their
respective marks to market, advertise, and promote the exact same category of goods—RVs.
38. inTech and Forest River market, advertise, and promote their products through
many of the same media outlets, including in some of the same RV magazines, e.g., RV PRO and
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RVBusiness, and at several of the same trade shows, e.g., the Florida RV Supershow in Tampa,
39. inTech and Forest River’s travel trailers are even sold through some of the same
RV dealers, including but not limited to, Bankston Motorhomes in Alabama, Leo’s Vacation
40. inTech’s Terra Campaign—the use of the confusingly similar word “Terra,”
inTech’s re-designed and confusingly similar mountain design, and the use of an old Forest River
mark, OASIS—along with its knowledge of Forest River’s RV lines, demonstrates inTech’s
intentional, willful, and knowing campaign to create initial interest confusion, to come as close to
the Forest River Marks as possible, and to trade off of Forest River’s goodwill in those marks.
inTech will continue its infringing conduct unless otherwise restrained, causing Forest River both
irreparable and incalculable injury to its goodwill for which it has no adequate remedy of law, as
41. Forest River sent several letters notifying inTech of its infringing activities,
beginning in December 2020. inTech continues to infringe the Forest River Marks notwithstanding
COUNT I
Trademark Infringement under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)(1)(A)
42. Forest River incorporates by reference and re-alleges the allegations contained in
the foregoing paragraphs as if fully and separately set forth in this section of the Complaint.
43. Forest River has valid, protectable, and nationwide common law rights in DELLA
TERRA, the Forest River Mountain Design, and the use of those two marks together in a composite
mark.
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44. inTech’s infringing uses of (i) “Terra;” (ii) its new mountain design; and/or, (iii)
the combination of those two marks in a composite mark with the Terra Campaign and in
connection with the sale of inTech RVs are likely to cause consumers to become confused or
deceived into believing and to mistake Forest River as the origin of source of inTech’s RVs or a
45. inTech’s use of marks that are confusingly similar to the Forest River Marks, by
§ 1125(a).
46. Forest River has suffered incalculable injury to its reputation and goodwill for
which it has no adequate remedy at law and has suffered monetary damages.
47. inTech has unlawfully derived income and profits as a result of its infringing
activities.
48. inTech’s conduct caused and will continue to cause substantial injury to the public
and to Forest River, entitling Forest River to recover inTech’s profits, its actual damages, treble
damages, costs of this litigation, and reasonable attorneys’ fees associated with this litigation
pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §1117. This case is “exceptional” under that section of the Lanham Act in
with the Forest River Marks and to prevent the public from being confused or deceived into
believing—and into mistaking—Forest River as the origin of source of inTech’s RVs, or believing
that inTech’s RVs are authorized by, endorsed by, sponsored by, or have an affiliation with Forest
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COUNT II
Trademark Infringement under Indiana Code § 24-2-1-13
51. Forest River incorporates by reference and re-alleges the allegations contained in
the foregoing paragraphs as if fully and separately set forth in this section of the Complaint.
52. inTech’s infringing uses of (i) “Terra,” (ii) its new mountain design; and (iii) a
combination of those two marks in a composite mark in connection with its sale, offering for sale,
distribution, and advertising of its “Terra” RVs through its Terra Campaign are a reproduction,
copy, and colorable imitation of the Indiana-registered Forest River Marks and are being done
53. inTech’s infringing uses of (i) “Terra;” (ii) its new mountain design; and (iii) a
combination of those two marks in a composite mark are likely to cause consumers to mistake or
to be confused or deceived into believing that Forest River is the source of inTech’s RVs, when
such is untrue.
54. inTech’s infringing activities are in violation of Indiana Code § 24-2-1-13. Forest
River has suffered incalculable injury to its reputation and goodwill for which it has no adequate
remedy at law, has suffered monetary damages, and inTech has unlawfully derived income and
55. inTech’s intentional and willful conduct has caused and will continue to cause
substantial injury to the public and to Forest River, entitling Forest River to permanent injunctive
relief and to recover inTech’s profits, actual damages, treble damages, costs, and reasonable
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COUNT III
Common Law Unfair Competition
57. Forest River incorporates by reference and re-alleges the allegations contained in
the foregoing paragraphs as if fully and separately set forth in this section of the Complaint.
58. Forest River owns all rights, title, and interests in and to the Forest River Marks,
including but not limited to, all common law rights, due to Forest River’s first use of those marks
59. inTech’s infringing uses of (i) “Terra,” (ii) its new mountain design, and (iii) the
combination of those two marks are deceiving consumers into believing that Forest River is the
origin and source of inTech’s RVs and that these RVs and inTech are affiliated and sponsored by
60. inTech has reaped the benefit of consumer association of inTech, its marks, and its
“Terra” RVs with Forest River, the Forest River Marks, and the DELLA TERRA RVs without
61. By reason of its infringing acts, inTech has committed unfair competition under
common law.
62. inTech’s unfair competition was done willfully and with knowledge of Forest
River’s rights and the consumer confusion that would occur as a result of its infringing actions.
63. inTech’s conduct is causing immediate and irreparable harm and injury to Forest
River and to its goodwill and reputation, for which it has no adequate remedy at law, and will
continue to harm Forest River and confuse the public unless enjoined by this Court.
64. Forest River is entitled to, among other relief, injunctive relief and an award of
actual damages, inTech’s profits, enhanced damages and profits, reasonable attorneys’ fees, and
costs of the action under common law, together with pre-judgment and post-judgment interest.
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WHEREFORE, Forest River respectfully requests that this Court enter judgment in its
favor and against inTech on Counts I–III and the following relief:
B. inTech’s profits from its sale of the “Terra” RVs and use of its infringing mountain
design;
D. Treble and/or punitive damages against inTech based upon its intentional, willful,
E. Statutory damages;
F. Costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees in this action as authorized under applicable
G. Pre- and post-judgment interest at the maximum legal rate and costs;
subsidiaries, or joint ventures thereof, together with any and all parent or affiliated companies,
representatives, those acting in privity or concert with them, or on their behalf from:
(ii) inTech’s mountain design; (iii) a combination of “Terra” and its mountain
design; and (iv) any other mark that is confusingly similar to the Forest River
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ii. Causing the display, copy, distribution, promotion, and dissemination of any
materials online using any and all of (i) “Terra”; (ii) inTech’s mountain design;
(iii) a combination of “Terra” and its mountain design; and (iv) any other mark
that is confusingly similar to the Forest River Marks in connection with the sale
of RVs.
I. Directing that inTech recall and deliver up for destruction all goods, packaging,
advertisements, promotions, signs, displays, and related materials incorporating or bearing: (i)
“Terra”; (ii) its mountain design; (iii) a combination of those marks; and/or (iv) any other marks
that are a counterfeit, copy, confusingly similar variation, or colorable imitation of the Forest River
Marks;
J. Directing inTech to provide an accounting of all RVs and other products ever sold
incorporating or bearing: (i) “Terra”; (ii) its mountain design; (iii) a combination of those marks;
or (iv) any other marks that are a counterfeit, copy, confusingly similar variation, or colorable
iv. Ordered by or on behalf of inTech, including units for which a purchase order
has been submitted, which are currently being loaded for shipment, or which
are current en route for delivery, including listing all lot or serial numbers of
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K. Granting Forest River other relief that may be just and warranted under the
circumstances.
Forest River hereby demands a trial by jury to the extent authorized by law.
Respectfully submitted,
70896876
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