Adidas withdraws trademark claim against Black Lives Matter News
© WikiMedia (Tony Webster)
Adidas withdraws trademark claim against Black Lives Matter

Shoe manufacturer Adidas Wednesday reversed course and withdrew its claim against Black Lives Matter (BLM) alleging that the group’s logo violates Adidas’ trademark. Adidas filed the initial claim with the US Trademark Office on Monday.

According to the BBC, a spokesperson for Adidas said, “Adidas will withdraw its opposition to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s trademark application as soon as possible.”

The symbol at issue is comprised of three parallel stripes. BLM’s proposed design also consists of three parallel, yellow stripes below the words “Black Lives Matter.” Adidas alleged that BLM’s symbol “incorporates three stripes in a manner that is confusingly similar to the Three-Stripe Mark in appearance and overall commercial impression.” Accordingly, Adidas claimed that the public knows and trusts the quality and reputation of Adidas when they see the three-stripe mark. The company was concerned that the public would confuse the two marks and assume Adidas is affiliated with BLM.

Since 2008, Adidas has filed 90 lawsuits, reached 200 settlement agreements and filed 24 trademark registrations for different versions of the stripes.