The American technology giant Apple is not at all happy with the advertising slogan of the Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch “Tick different”. This is very similar to your own saying “Think differently”. The Americans wanted to avoid registration as a trademark. But before the General Court of the European Union, Apple suffered a defeat.
The court in Luxembourg on Wednesday rejected a lawsuit by the American iPhone group against an earlier decision by the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The latter had decided that the Swiss watch manufacturer could protect the slogan “Tick different” as a brand.
Although the Apple slogan has been around since 1997, EUIPO canceled the advertising slogan six years ago at the request of the Swiss company for lack of serious use. Now the court, which sits upstream from the ECJ, also stated that the risk of confusion between the two advertising slogans was not too great.
Also beat in UK court
The two companies have met regularly in court in recent years. A court in Britain ruled in 2017 that “iWatch” and “iSwatch” aren’t too similar either. The American company eventually used the name Apple Watch for its smart watches, but claimed that the Swiss competition had chosen the name as a precaution.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
