All articles tagged with #trademark dispute
California rapper Ovrkast (Silas Wilson) has responded to a lawsuit filed by hip-hop duo Outkast, denying that he intended to copy their name or confuse fans. Outkast’s 31-page complaint alleges trademark infringement and breach of contract, claiming Wilson agreed to change his name to 'Overkxst' but failed to comply. Wilson states he built his brand independently and seeks a resolution that allows him to continue his career.
Buc-ee's has sued Beaver's Mini Mart in Beavercreek, Ohio, over a beaver logo and red branding, claiming it causes consumer confusion. The small store, which predates Buc-ee's Ohio expansion, is facing a federal lawsuit seeking to halt its use of the name and logo. In response, the local community has rallied behind the mini mart, with a Cincinnati apparel brand launching a merchandise drive to fund its legal defense. Buc-ee's states it will drop the case if the mini mart withdraws its trademark application, but the store's owner disputes the claims, arguing the action is unfair.
XREAL launches a low-cost AR glasses sub-brand in China under the XBX name with the XBX A01, a 62g device offering a 50° FOV, HDR10, SDR-to-HDR, and Sony micro-OLEDs with up to 1600 nits, priced at CN¥1,799 (~$265). Designed for content consumption with mobile devices, the device lacks cameras and Bose audio. The XBX name could clash with Microsoft's Xbox and echoes XREAL’s past trademark troubles (notably with Epic Games after rebranding from Nreal), suggesting a mainland test or broader budget lineup, while global plans tie to Google's Project Aura Android XR OS.
An open-source AI assistant that started as Clawdbot exploded online, went through a rapid rebrand to Moltbot after trademark pressure from Anthropic, and faced crypto-scam hijacks and handle squatting during the chaos. Moltbot aims to live inside messaging apps, remembers conversations across weeks, offers proactive notifications, and can automate tasks by routing work to AI backends (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) while leveraging local hardware. It surged to tens of thousands of GitHub stars in days but isn’t a polished enterprise product and requires careful cybersecurity. The project continues with documentation and safeguards as the community builds around a now-iconic lobster mascot.
In the late 1980s, a legal dispute arose when GM used the name 'Beretta' for a car, leading to a lawsuit from Italian gunmaker Beretta, which resulted in GM donating a car and both companies exchanging gifts; the case highlighted trademark issues and the differing legacies of the two brands.
Morrissey is looking to sell his interests in The Smiths' catalog and rights due to burnout and disassociation from his former bandmates, amid ongoing disputes over band trademarks and potential reunions.
Morrissey has announced he is willing to sell his stake in The Smiths, including the band name, artwork, and music rights, amid ongoing disputes with former bandmate Johnny Marr over the band's trademarks and releases.
Apollonia Kotero, known for her role in Purple Rain, has filed a lawsuit against Prince's estate, claiming they are attempting to steal her name 'Apollonia' by canceling her trademarks and asserting ownership, despite her long-standing use and the estate's previous claims of waiver. She seeks a court order to confirm her rights to the name.
Apple Cinemas, a long-standing independent theater chain, is defending its name against a lawsuit from Apple Inc., which claims the theater chain's use of the name causes confusion and seeks damages and an injunction. Apple Cinemas argues their brand is distinct and legally compliant, and the dispute involves attempts to trademark the name that were denied due to potential confusion with Apple Inc.
OpenAI is involved in a legal dispute with startup iyO Inc., which has sued former employee Dan Sargent for leaking confidential designs of an unreleased AI device, amid broader legal battles involving trademark infringement and collaboration with Jony Ive on new AI hardware concepts aimed at revolutionizing human-AI interaction.
OpenAI has removed references to its partnership with Jony Ive's company io following a trademark lawsuit filed by AI startup iyO, which claims infringement over the 'i' and 'o' branding; OpenAI disputes the claim and is reviewing its options.
OpenAI removed promotional materials related to its $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive's AI hardware startup IO Products due to a trademark dispute with IYO Inc., which has filed a lawsuit over the IO name.
The owners of the James Bond franchise are defending their trademarks against an Austrian businessman, Josef Kleindienst, who claims that the lack of use of certain Bond trademarks has led to their lapse, in what they describe as an unprecedented legal assault. Kleindienst has also applied for his own Bond trademarks in Europe, but not in the UK, prompting legal challenges from Danjaq, the rights holder. Meanwhile, Amazon has gained full control over the franchise, with plans for new films and TV series, although the legal disputes over trademarks continue to unfold.
KFC has filed a lawsuit against Church's Chicken for using the term "Original Recipe" in its promotions, a phrase KFC has trademarked since 1984 to describe its signature blend of 11 herbs and spices. KFC claims Church's use of the term causes consumer confusion and damages its brand. The lawsuit seeks to stop Church's from using the phrase and demands unspecified damages. This legal action follows a decline in KFC's sales and increased competition from other chicken chains like Popeyes.
McDonald's lost a trademark dispute in the EU over the Big Mac name to Irish fast-food chain Supermac's. The EU General Court ruled that McDonald's failed to prove genuine use of the Big Mac trademark for certain products over a five-year period. This decision allows Supermac's to expand into other EU countries and is seen as a victory for small businesses against large multinationals. McDonald's stated that the ruling does not affect its right to use the Big Mac trademark and may appeal the decision.