Category: News

Global Brands Face Local Rules

Global recognition is the dream, but does it guarantee trademark protection? 🤔 The shocking case of TikTok’s ‘well-known trademark’ application in India proves that the answer is a definitive NO. 🤯

The Power of the Logo

Your brand’s logo is more than just a picture – it’s a powerful legal asset! 🛡 Most people know what a logo is, but do you know how it legally protects your business and prevents rip-offs?

Can a Car’s Shape Be a Brand?

Can a car’s unique shape or grille be a brand, just like a logo? 🚗🛡

Yes, but it’s one of the toughest legal hurdles in IP! This is the world of Three-Dimensional Trademarks, where a design must be non-functional and instantly recognized by customers as coming from a single company. 🤯

STOP Brand Expiring

If you stop using your trademark in a foreign country, you could legally lose it! 🤯
This is the scary reality of the “Use It or Lose It” rule that governs trademarks worldwide. When a global brand leaves a market, like Starbucks exiting Russia, they face a ticking clock ⏳ before competitors can snatch their name.

Athletes’ Personal Brands

Every signature pose, nickname, and iconic celebration — from Cold Palmer’s shiver to Ronaldo’s Siuuu! — is a valuable, revenue-generating asset waiting to be protected. The secret weapon that turns temporary fame into a lifelong financial empire? Intellectual Property (IP).

Can Big Brands Claim EVERY Word in the Dictionary?

This is the central conflict in trademark law: balancing a brand’s need to protect its identity against the public’s need to use common language. The infamous Premier Inn ‘Rest easy’ case is a perfect example of this. ⚖️

From the Pitch to the Register: How Athletes Build Brands Through Trademarks

As you already know, athletes often register trademarks to strengthen their brand!

Registering their name, nickname, distinctive gestures, or logo as a trademark is a way to protect yourself against unauthorized use in the context of clothing, gadgets, cosmetics, or other products.

Mercedes vs. Sany: Why Trademark Protection Requires More Than Registration

In order to protect its brand, Mercedes often engages in intellectual property disputes.

One example is the dispute between Mercedes-Benz and Sany- a Chinese manufacturer of construction machinery. This case concerned the infringement of the Mercedes trademark, but the Court ruled that the three-pointed star trademark is not infringed by a similar three-pointed star trademark owned by Sany, further stating that there is no ‘link’ made by the average consumer between the two logos which would lead to a ‘clear exploitation on the coat-tails of the mark with a reputation’.

Lacoste Wins 23-Year Logo Battle: Why Trademark Protection Matters

After 23 years of litigation, the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of Lacoste in its battle with Crocodile International, prohibiting its competitor from manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, advertising or using the disputed trademark in any manner that constitutes infringement of Lacoste’s trademark rights.

TikTok Creator’s Catchphrase Stolen: Why IP Protection Can’t Wait

It is not only TikTok as a platform that faces challenges related to intellectual property – creators themselves must also increasingly fight for their rights.