Behold: an in-depth look at Michael Gleissner’s trademark applications, companies and domain names.
I’ve written many times about Michael Gleissner’s odd activities around trademarks, domain names and cybersquatting claims.
Now, World Trademark Review has compiled an extensive list of all of his activities.
The publication calls it The Gleissner Files. It contains more than 1,100 registered company names, over 2,500 trademark applications and 5,300 domain names (and how they are being used).
It’s a 69-page .pdf document, so searching it won’t be that easy. But it shows the breadth of Gleissner’s bizarre activities. Among the .com trademarks his companies have applied for: Top.com, Host.com, Bob.com, Fiji.com, Salt.com, Connect.com, Black.com and many more.
What is Gleissner’s end game? We know he has filed UDRPs to try to get generic domains and has threatened trademark applicants about getting their marks canceled. But I’m still scratching my head about the overall strategy.
I’m starting to lean toward there not being much of a plan or strategy here beyond his counsel collectively milking him. If you’ve seen Gleissner’s idea of what makes compelling dramatic action or music videos, as well as other of his personal indulgences (such as his ridiculous lawsuits over cancelled flights in one of which Mr. Roman Popov was expressly warned by the judge about perjury), the picture which emerges is that of a petty and vain man not possessed of tremendous intellect. Combine that with the sheer oddity of his Italian counsel who did not understand that engaging in “reverse domain hi-jacking” is best not listed as one’s expertise on LinkedIn, then it seems to be that his counsel have found themselves an emperor for whom they may knit the most exquisite clothing which can only be seen by those with the most enlightened minds.
The mere fact that others look and it and say “this is both crazy and stupid” only confirms the sheer brilliance of their grand plan. He has spent a fortune on this and has nothing to show for it, other than to have caused a few trademark applicants to walk away rather than to deal with his equally absurd opposition proceedings. But if challenged in those, he tucks his tail and folds like a cheap suit.
We haven’t always seen eye to eye, John Berryhill, but when I read this post the other day you made me laugh so hard and in my view you were in such exquisitely rare form with this. Too funny.
What a wanker!
When the dude realizes that his lawyers have milked him for years doing stupid and incompetent “work” and ruined his reputation in the process and cost him his credibility and probably millions in billing and costs to concoct and keep running this absurd scheme with nothing to show for it then the next step will probably be him suing his lawyers…
Funnily enough I was reading this trademark review thing the other day. This list of companies and trademarks is astounding . Anyway it is a good read.
I’m leaning towards John Berryhill’s assessment. Maybe too much money too soon? Pampered lifestyle with lots of “advisers” and “hanger-ons” ? Follow the money, or as in this case, just watch it burn.
How does he keep up with the paperwork regarding
1. trademark communications
2 trademark challenge by other TM owners
3. corporate income tax filings
4. domain renewals
Think about his expenses –
1. the cost for new TM filings
2. new corporate creations
3. lawyer fees
4. domains (new registration and renewal)
Has he made any serious money from his reverse hijacking strategy?