In a trademark opposition initiated by Adidas AG (“Adidas”), Taiwan’s IP Office (“TIPO”) sided with the sports brand, cancelling the contested trademark after finding it confusingly similar to Adidas’ iconic trefoil logos (Reg. No. 00167065, 00360933, and 01300822, see below).
1. On similarity, TIPO noted that both the contested trademark and Adidas’ cited trademarks featured three-leaf logo crossed by three white lines, with only minor differences in shapes of the leaves. Ordinary consumers would still find them conceptually and visually similar to each others.
2. On the designated products, both Adidas’ trademarks and the contested trademark covered apparel and related accessories, such as sportswear, socks, shoes, etc. As such, TIPO found there was similarity between the designated products.
3. While the contested trademark demonstrated certain degree of distinctiveness, TIPO noted that Adidas’ trefoil logos have achieved strong recognition among the relevant consumers via extensive use in various product lines and marketing campaigns. For example, the “Clot” sneaker collaboration in 2023, the Disney Duck apparel and footwear collaboration in 2024, and the continuous marketing on media platforms such as GQ, ELLE, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Hence, consumers are more familiar with Adidas’ trademarks.
4. In view of the above, considering the similarity between the trademarks, the overlap of product category, and Adidas’ strong brand image among the relevant consumers, TIPO concluded that the registration of the contested trademark would likely create confusion with Adidas’ famous logos. The contested trademark was cancelled accordingly.
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