Organisation: Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

In <i>Kenzo v Kenzo</i>, the hearing officer has rejected fashion house Kenzo’s opposition against the registration of KENZO ESTATE by Tsujimoto Kenzo, a winemaker based in California. The case reiterates that the mere inclusion of a prior mark in a later mark will not guarantee success in an opposition. It also highlights the evidentiary burden that any prospective opponent faces when seeking to rely on the protection afforded to well-known marks.

25 September 2013

In <i>Basic Trademark SA v Karelia Tobacco Company Inc</i>, the principal assistant registrar has upheld an opposition by Basic Trademark SA, the owner of various KAPPA marks, against the registration of the trademark KAPPA for tobacco products. Among other things, the principal assistant registrar found that there would be misrepresentation likely to cause damage to Basic’s goodwill should there be use of the KAPPA mark by Karelia.

15 February 2012