Monster (TM)

For nearly three decades, a little known audio cable company in California has led a massive legal campaign to protect its claim to the word "Monster," which it argues is legally its alone to use. Monster Cable has taken out more than 70 trademarks on the word "monster" over the years and has sued companies from Monster.com to Boston Red Sox promotions tied to the team's Green Monster stadium wall. Now the company is locked in a legal battle with a mini golf course, Monster Mini Golf, whose owners are moving to defend their name in court amid cheers from other companies who have faced off against the cable company. Of course, not everything faces Monster Cable's wrath: The company is not suing the new movie Monsters Vs. Aliens. According to Monster Cable's lawyer, David Tognotti: "We do not have a concern if a company is using the word 'monster' in a purely descriptive sense to describe actual monsters."