‎“Adidas” withdraws its objection to a trademark of American ‎group that resembles its logo

Adidas, the sportswear giant, retracted and announced the withdrawal of its claim to the US Trademark Office to reject an application for a trademark for the (Black Lives Matter) movement “Black Lives Matter” that includes three parallel lines.

A spokesman for the German company said, “Adidas will withdraw its objection to the trademark application of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation as soon as possible,” without providing a reason for the decision.

The company told the bureau on Monday that the yellow stripes design for the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation could create confusion with its iconic three-stripes trademark.

The German company sought to hinder the group’s request to use this design on items that it also sells, such as shirts, hats, and bags.

Adidas said in the claim that it had used its logo since 1952 and that it had gained “worldwide fame and great public appreciation”.

Since 2008, Adidas has filed more than 90 lawsuits and signed more than 200 settlement agreements in connection with its three-stripe trademark, according to court documents from a lawsuit the company filed against American designer Tom Brown.

The court ruled in January that the fashion house’s logo design did not infringe Adidas’ trademark rights

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is the most well-known entity in the Black Lives Matter movement that emerged a decade ago to protest police violence against black people.

The group filed for a federal trademark in November 2020 in the form of three yellow stripes for use on a variety of products including apparel, flyers, bags, bracelets and mugs.

Adidas says that the design of the group’s logo may confuse consumers and make them think that the goods of the two parties are related to each other or that they are from the same source.