The recent case involving “Dr. Wolff’s Vagisan” illustrates the importance of distinguishing a mark from similar, existing marks by adding distinctive elements in the mark applied for. The parties, Dr. August Wolff GmbH & Co. KG Arzneimittel (the applicant) and Combe International Ltd (the opponent) had been engaged in a prior invalidation proceeding. The opponent […]
Tag: trademark opposition
Nippon Paint (Singapore) Co. Pte. Ltd., and opposition thereto by Warrior Pte. Ltd.
These opposition proceedings relate to a dispute on the trademarks between an established supplier of adhesive products for industrial purposes (Nippon Paint (Singapore) Co. Pte. Ltd., or the applicant) and a relatively new entrant into the market (known as Warrior Pte. Ltd., or the opponent). The opponent is a Singaporean company which specializes in developing […]
SINGAPORE: Model Numbers Remain Just That
The following decision concerns the use of model numbers as trademarks and the strength of such trademarks. Nippon Paint (Singapore) Co. Pte. Ltd (the applicant) applied to register NW1 under trademark No. 40201909725V in International Class 1. Warrior Pte Ltd (the opponent) opposed the application on September 12, 2019, relying on its earlier registered marks, […]
Late filing of evidence in a trademark opposition proceeding, pardoned!
This matter pertains to registration of the mark “BEABA” at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) filed under No. 40201909817Y in the name Biba (Zhejiang) Nursing Products Co., Ltd. (the applicant), and an opposition thereto by BEABA (the opponent). The issue surrounds a late request for an extension of time to file evidence by […]
Valentino S.p.A loses to Matsuda & Co. over dispute in trademark name ‘Valentino’
Choosing a trademark for businesses comes with a risk, whether it is a given name, a surname, or a combination of the two. It is because others may be able to use these names in good faith without impinging upon the trademark owner’s rights. The more common the name, the more likely it is to […]
Rolex S.A. v. FMTM Distribution Ltd [2020] SGIPOS 6
FMTM Distribution Ltd (the applicant) is a company selling high-end luxury watches. The applicant applied to protect the trademark “MARINER” (the application mark) in Singapore on February 5, 2016, under Trade Mark Application No. 40201602064R in Class 14. Rolex S.A. (the opponent) is a watchmaker established in 1905, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The opponent has […]
Singapore: A-Star Education Discovery Camps Pte. Ltd. v. Discovery Communications, LLC
In a decision billed by the hearing registrar as a “David and Goliath clash”, Discovery Communications, LLC (“Opponent”), a corporate media giant of “Discovery Channel” fame, brought opposition proceedings against the application of A-Star-Education Discovery Camps Pte. Ltd. (“Applicant”) to register the mark “ ” (the “Application Mark”) (Singapore Trade Mark No. 40201714407Q). The Principal […]
SINGAPORE: Harvard Club of Singapore and Its Founders Battle for Trademarks
The Harvard Club of Singapore (opponent) was an official alumni club of Harvard University (formed by the president and fellows of Harvard College (applicant)) whose status was revoked by the applicant due to issues concerning leadership of the club. With the revocation, the applicant withdrew its consent to the opponent’s use of the names “Harvard” […]
SINGAPORE: Registrar Strikes Down Opposition in ‘Minterest’ Case
Minterest Private Limited (applicant) applied to register the trademark MINTEREST (application mark) in Class 36 in Singapore (Singapore Trade Mark No. 40201707514X). The application mark was accepted for publication and was opposed by Intuit Inc. (opponent). The opponent relied on Sections 8(2)(b) and 8(7)(a) of the Trade Marks Act (TMA) in its opposition against the […]
Registrar Dismisses Opposition to ‘Wonglo’ Trademark Application
In Multi Access Limited v. Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited [2019] SGIPOS 15, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited (the applicant), a state-owned enterprise in China, applied for the trademark WONGLO (the application mark) in Singapore on December 15, 2015, under International Registration No. 1297792 (Singapore TM No.40201608455Q) in Classes 5, 30, and 32. The opposition ultimately failed […]