Not distinctive
EUIPO believes that if the general public sees the globally recognised name George Floyd on a T-shirt, they won’t percieve it as a trademark but rather as a political or ideological expression, comparable to Black Lives Matter, for example. Therefore, the brand name is not distinctive and unsuitable as a trademark
Civilised society
Above all, EUIPO refuses registration because it is morally reprehensible. By claiming the name George Floyd for clothing, the applicant violates certain fundamental values of our civilised society, according to EUIPO. “We want to prevent a commercial company from ‘banalizing’ the George Floyd name and abusing or trivialising the tragic death of George Floyd,” said EUIPO.
Appeal
The applicant, US George Floyd IP Holdings, has appealed.
Bas Kist
