German company Adidas has accused the global Black Lives Matter movement of using three parallel yellow stripes in its logo, infringing on the sports giant’s trademark. However, she withdrew her objections two days later.
Adidas initially claimed that the three stripes in the advocacy organization’s logo were confusing and there was a risk that the public would confuse the two brands. However, the complaint sparked outrage on social media. “Adidas has always been very aggressive in controlling their stripes. But if we look at the difference in the color and shape of the stripes, I would say that Adidas is unlikely to win in court,” trademark lawyer Josh Gerben wrote on Twitter.
Adidas is very aggressive with their stripes.
But when you look at the difference in the color and shape of the stripes, I think that Adidas is unlikely to win this case if it comes to court.
[7/8] pic.twitter.com/ySszum9AMq
— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) March 28, 2023
The company therefore withdrew the objection. “Adidas will withdraw its objection to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s trademark application as soon as possible,” the company’s press office promised without further details. However, the quick turnaround could also be explained by the fear that people might misinterpret a sports company’s complaint as a criticism of the organization.
Black Lives Matter began as a decentralized social and political movement ten years ago, and has been drawing attention to issues of systemic inequality, racism, and police violence ever since. It applied for an official federal trademark in November 2020. He uses the mentioned yellow stripes on a range of products such as mugs, bracelets, prints or clothing. Therefore, Adidas was concerned that people might associate the movement’s products with the sports brand. Since 2008, she has filed over ninety lawsuits and signed over two hundred settlement agreements involving troubled three-stripe brands.
The sports giant fired singer Kanye West last October for his alleged anti-Semitic and racist remarks after he appeared in public wearing a White Lives Matter T-shirt. “Kanye’s comments and actions are unacceptable, hateful, dangerous and violate the company’s values of diversity, inclusion, mutual respect and fairness,” the company said. The collaboration was known mainly for the products of the singer’s Yeezy line and cost Adidas an estimated $540 million to terminate.
Source: Blesk