Usage dispute
Kleindienst argues that Danjaq has not used the James Bond trademarks for the products and services for which they are registered. Trademark law requires active use: if a trademark remains unused for five years, others can challenge its validity. Apparently, Kleindienst believes this is the case with the European James Bond trademarks and claims the registrations are therefore invalid. If Danjaq wants to maintain its trademarks, it must provide evidence of use by April 15.
Real estate in Dubai
The big question is why Josef Kleindienst—an unusual name, by the way—has launched this attack on the James Bond trademarks. Investigative work by The Guardian revealed that he is one of the largest European real estate developers in the Arab Emirates. Kleindienst is currently developing The Heart of Europe, a luxury resort off the coast of Dubai, featuring European-style buildings.
James Bond in a speedboat
A spokesperson for Kleindienst told The Guardian that there are plans to use the James Bond brand independently. You can already picture it: James Bond speeding around the islands of The Heart of Europe in a speedboat. A search of the Emirati trademark registry shows that at the end of 2024, Kleindienst applied for several James Bond trademarks in the UAE, covering real estate services, entertainment, and hospitality. Danjaq does hold older trademark rights for James Bond in the UAE, but only for cosmetics. It remains uncertain whether this would be enough to block Kleindienst’s activities there. Presumably, the Austrian businessman is challenging Danjaq’s European trademarks to clear the way for promoting and selling his Dubai-based James Bond luxury resort in Europe.
Bas Kist
