Organisation: JPO

The JPO Appeal Board has reversed the rejection of the mark BENJAMIN BROWN in Classes 25 and 28, finding that it was not identical to the full name of a living person named Benjamin Brown.

02 January 2024

A key finding was that the marks were dissimilar visually and phonetically due to the presence of the element ‘+’ in the mark applied for.

08 December 2023

In a blow to Kubota Corporation, the JPO found that several colour marks consisting of the colour orange and of a combination of orange, black and white lacked inherent and acquired distinctiveness.

01 December 2023

The JPO found that it was unlikely that the relevant consumers would believe that goods bearing the mark HITASI originated from Hitachi Ltd, even though HITACHI is a famous trademark.

22 November 2023

The JPO concluded that there was no likelihood of confusion between the figurative mark ANYTIME 24 and the earlier mark ANYTIME FITNESS.

10 November 2023

The relevant consumers would perceive the mark as referring to a restaurant providing chiffon cakes for athletes when used in relation to Class 43 services.

03 November 2023

The JPO partially cancelled the mark DROP for “retail or wholesale services for furniture” based on Danish company Fritz Hansen’s earlier mark THE DROP for furniture.

30 October 2023

The JPO concluded that, even though JEEP was famous in relation to four-wheel-drive vehicles, the relevant consumers would not associate goods bearing the mark JEIP321 with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

24 October 2023

The JPO notably found that consumers would be likely to connect the mark with Bordeaux wines or the Bordeaux region of France, even when used on cosmetics.

18 October 2023

The JPO found that there was no likelihood of confusion between a device mark containing a depiction of a van-type vehicle, to be used for wines in Class 33, and the iconic VW Type 2.

11 October 2023