IP Feuds More Common Than You’d Think

Companies big and small work hard to protect their intellectual property and always want to make sure that no one is encroaching on what is rightfully theirs. When a company builds its brand and becomes recognizable to millions just by their logo alone, they want to make sure no one else creates a logo to close to theirs that causes confusion amongst consumers. Recently, a Notice of Opposition was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office from two major corporations battling over the similarities of a logo design.

The athletic apparel brand Adidas filed a Notice of Opposition in direct response to the logo of the luxury car brand Tesla Motors, Inc.’s Model 3. Adidas argues that the Model 3’s logo of three horizontal stripes is too similar to Adidas’ own logo of three diagonal stripes. Adidas feels as though the two logos could be easily confused because they are so similar to each other.

Tesla had only filed their logo with the USPTO when Adidas filed their Notice of Opposition. Tesla Motors Inc. withdrew their application for the initial logo design in response to the Notice of Opposition. Tesla CEO Elon Musk used Twitter just days after the logo was challenged to confirm Tesla will move forward with using a numeric 3 for the Model 3.

This is only one example of many major companies fighting over logos and other matters concerning intellectual property. This is not the first time Adidas fought for their stripes. In 1994, Adidas filed a lawsuit against major retailer Payless Shoesource Inc. stating the Payless was selling shoes very similar to the Adidas’ with two and four stripes, just like Adidas’ three-stripe shoes. If you feel as though your intellectual property has been threatened, you should contact an experienced IP attorney who can provide you with assistance and defend your rights.

Contact the Law Offices of Richard E. Novak today to discuss the facts and circumstances surrounding your New Jersey traffic violations, intellectual property or business litigation matters.