Reebok, sportswear maker has lost its bid to stop by Reehut, an exercise equipment company from registering a trademark.
According to the decision published by the U.K. Intellectual Property Office (IPO) on Wednesday, July 31, the office revealed that there would be no consumer confusion between Reebok’s trademark for its name and a trademark applied-for by Reehut.
Reebok opposed the trademark registration of Reehut under class 28 for goods including gym apparatus, jump ropes, knee pads for athletic use and exercise balls.
Reebok’s point of opposition is that its trademark is also registered in class 28 for goods such as gymnastic and sporting products.
Reebok reportedly said that the applied mark are identical and would ride on its coat tails and benefit from the attraction, reputation and prestige of its earlier trademark.
According to the decision of U.K. Intellectual Property Office (IPO), the earlier trademark and applied-for mark visually coincide in the first three letters and are of identical length but differ in their final three letters thus similar to a low degree.
“Such a difference will not go unnoticed and so it is difficult to see how the later trademark will be mistaken for the earlier one. There is no likelihood of confusion and it would be so fleeting that it would have no consequence”, the IPO reportedly said.
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