Earlier this week, Chanel lost its trademark fight against Huawei Technologies in a top European court. The news arrives after the court stated that both firms logos do not share any similarity to each other.
According to an SCMP report, the French luxury brand lost its trademark battle against the Chinese tech giant regarding the logo design. Notably, this also highlights the sensitive nature of luxury brands guarding their logos to preserve the luxury symbols that showcases their “style and exclusivity” to millions of people across the globe. The claim from Chanel first arrived back in 2017, when Huawei sought approval from the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to register its computer hardware trademark which featured two vertical interlocking semicircles.
This branding led to Chanel alleging that this design is similar to its registered French logo of two horizontal interlocking semicircles that are used on the brand’s cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, and other such products. In 2019, the trademark office had dismissed the company’s claims saying that there was no similarity and there would be no confusion between both brands in the eyes of the consumers.
However, Chanel then took the challenge to the Luxembourg based General Court. Here, the claim was dismissed again in a ruling earlier this week. As per the tribunal of judges,”The figurative marks at issue are not similar. The marks must be compared as applied for and registered, without altering their orientation.” The tribunal added that there were visual differences between both logos “In particular, Chanel’s marks have more rounded curves, thicker lines and a horizontal orientation, whereas the orientation of the Huawei mark is vertical. Consequently, the General Court concludes that the marks are different.”
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