SEA LION vs. SEAT LEON: Why Context Matters in Trademark Disputes

Can the name of a car interfere with the name of an organisation protecting sea lions? 🚗🌊

An interesting trademark dispute has arisen in Switzerland. A foundation dedicated to the protection of sea monkeys and sea lions had applied to trademark “SEA LION” for educational and pro-animal activities, but this was met with opposition from the SEAT brand, which has long offered a car model called “Leon”. 🦁

Although the marks appear similar at first glance, the court found that there was no real risk of confusion between them. 🧠 This is because they are different in meaning, phonetic and visual appearance and operate in completely different industries. 🚫

Interestingly, even though SEAT is a well-known car brand in Switzerland, the court did not grant its marks “SEAT LEON” broader protection, indicating that the mere reputation of a company does not automatically mean that all its marks benefit from increased protection. 💡

The conclusion? In trade mark disputes, it is not only the recognition of the marks that matters, but above all the specific circumstances of use and the differences between the marks. ⚖