No Confusion
However, this strong association with John Lennon has its downsides. Recently, the European Court ruled that Ruiz cannot take action against a company seeking to register the trademark “Lemoon” for alcoholic beverages. According to the Court, the words Lennon and Lemoon do bear a significant resemblance. However, due to the clear meaning of the name Lennon — everyone immediately associates it with the ex-Beatle — consumers are unlikely to confuse Lennon with Lemoon. This is referred to as neutralisation in trademark law.
Bas Kist
