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Adidas backtracks on Black Lives Matter design opposition
BBC News ^ | March 29, 2023 | By Peter Hoskins and Annabelle Liang

Posted on 03/29/2023 4:37:52 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

Adidas says it is withdrawing a request to the US Trademark Office to reject a Black Lives Matter (BLM) application for a trademark featuring three parallel stripes.

The sportwear giant did not give a reason for the reversal.

On Monday, Adidas said the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation design would create confusion with its own famous three-stripe mark.

It added that it has been using its logo for more than 70 years.

"Adidas will withdraw its opposition to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's trademark application as soon as possible," a spokesperson for the German company said in a statement emailed to the BBC on Wednesday.

The company declined to make any further comments on the decision.

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is the most prominent entity in the decentralised BLM movement.

The group applied for a US trademark in November 2020 for a yellow three-stripe design to use on merchandise including clothing and bags.

In a notice of opposition submitted to the trademark office, Adidas said the proposed design "incorporates three stripes in a manner that is confusingly similar to the Three-Stripe Mark in appearance and overall commercial impression".

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: adidas; blm; trademark; woke


1 posted on 03/29/2023 4:37:52 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Epic fold.


2 posted on 03/29/2023 4:42:21 AM PDT by gov_bean_ counter (Eccl 10:2 - The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.)
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To: gov_bean_ counter

Epic fold.


I both agree and disagree.

Personally, I would not confuse the proposed BLM design with the Nike design. Yes, there are three stripes in each, but the color scheme is much different.

However, it is also true that companies, especially large ones, go to ridiculous lengths to protect their trademarks. They litigate over ANY similarity, no matter how trivial. So while their “fold” is a departure from that behavior, I thought the behavior was kind of ridiculous in the first place. Great if you are a trademark lawyer though.


3 posted on 03/29/2023 4:48:55 AM PDT by rbg81
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To: gov_bean_ counter
Epic fold.

Unless they made a licensing deal with Black Lives MatterTM, it is an absolutely epic fold. Their failure to police their mark would cost them the mark.

Once Black Lives MatterTM dilutes it (if not licensed), anyone can. Then it's so long Adidas, nice to know you.

4 posted on 03/29/2023 4:53:29 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: gov_bean_ counter

Epic fold.


Yep. There are over 50 million results on google for “3 stripes adidas”. It is their brand trademark like Nike has the “swoosh”.


5 posted on 03/29/2023 4:56:51 AM PDT by lodi90
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Somebody got to somebody.


6 posted on 03/29/2023 5:02:02 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (You can never have enough clamps. Thanks Ben.)
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To: T.B. Yoits
Once Black Lives MatterTM dilutes it (if not licensed), anyone can. Then it's so long Adidas, nice to know you.

Correct, and once the Bolsheviks Like Money succeeds here, it can move on like locusts to culturally appropriate any other trademark. Companies will bow and scrape lest they be branded as "white privileged" and they, too, will lose their rights to their brand.

Won't stop until some CEO with balls says "Enough!" (of course the board will then fire the CEO for inadequate wokeism.)

7 posted on 03/29/2023 5:03:21 AM PDT by Sirius Lee (They intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live and live like you are prepping for eternal life)
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To: T.B. Yoits

Three stripes sounds pretty hard to copyright.

They going to go after sergeants (a common design outside the West is three stripes).

Maybe half the flags in the world? Algeria Argentina.
Austria?


8 posted on 03/29/2023 5:57:21 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Adidas caved to the latest manifest of the Je$$e Ja¢k$on $hakedown.


9 posted on 03/29/2023 6:00:48 AM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Are they still suing the numeral 111?


10 posted on 03/29/2023 6:04:41 AM PDT by AndyTheBear
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I thought only Russians buy Adidas crap


11 posted on 03/29/2023 6:13:47 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: butlerweave

12 posted on 03/29/2023 6:14:37 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I do believe the tide is turning slightly. Throw in a few more tranny mass murders, and straight conservatives might just come out on top.


13 posted on 03/29/2023 8:08:54 AM PDT by moovova ("The NEXT election is the most important election of our lifetimes!“ LOL...)
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To: Jewbacca
Three stripes sounds pretty hard to copyright.

Their copyright would be three stripes on footwear and where they're positioned, thickness, distance apart, etc., not just three stripes which are, as you point out, found everywhere.

14 posted on 03/29/2023 8:29:55 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

YELLOW STRIPES DOWN THE BACK USED TO MEAN YOU WERE A COWARD


15 posted on 03/29/2023 8:44:10 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
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