“Woolworths’ recently introduced logo is a stylised W resembling a piece of fruit (echoing its ‘fresh food people’ slogan),” Stephen Withers reports for iTWire. “But Apple thinks the new logo is too similar to the stylised apple design it has used in various forms and colours since the early days of the company.”
“Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem. Trade marks are granted for specific categories of products and services, allowing Hyundai and Microsoft to use the same trade mark (Excel) for a car and a computer program,” Withers reports. “But Woolworths is trying to register its logo as a trademark in Class 9 (among others), which includes ‘apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images… calculating machines, data processing equipment and computers… computer devices and computer peripheral devices… [and] computer hardware and software.'”
“Apple has products in all of those categories,” Withers reports. “Another issue is that Apple already uses its logo to identify its retail stores.”
Full article here.
Julian Lee reports for The Age, “Apple will have to convince IP Australia, the Federal Government agency that governs trademarks, to knock back Woolworths’ application – filed in August last year – to trademark its logo.”
“Woolworths’ application includes a wide class for electrical goods and technology, putting it in direct competition with Apple should the retailer choose to brand computers, music players or other devices,” Lee reports. “Woolworths has gone into credit cards and mobile phones, so the likelihood of it going into computers is not too remote.”
“Trademark lawyer Trevor Choy said it was common for Apple to prevent others from using anything that resembled an apple in a logo or marketing,” Lee reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Clearly, Apple is right to protect themselves against the possibility of Woolworths slapping said logo on some random phones, music players, PCs and/or other electronic devices and potentially confusing consumers and diminishing decades of hard work and money that Apple has invested in their brand’s logo – one of the most valuable in the world.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Judge Bork” for the heads up.]
I don’t think Apple has a case. The W looks almost nothing like Apple’s logo. I think it is well designed and clever. They should just change the direction of the stem, and that should be enough.
@iworker
Woolworths in the UK, which was a huge chain, went out of business because of a lack of appeal and dodgy finances. I understand the differences, but the shops with that name all seem to have marketing issues!
Rike
r u sayin u r so dumb that u would get the two labels confused?
I meant to go but a mac book but since I was unable to tell the green “w” apart from white apple logo I accidently bought a 5 dollar Woolworth calculator oops
OK, people, try reading the article before spouting off about something which you don’t know anything.
One of the primary concerns of any trademark holder is protecting your mark. If you don’t protect it, it can get watered down or you may lose your rights to exclude others from using it. Apple is not only within its rights to oppose the trademark, it really must oppose it in order to protect its own brand.
Apple has one of the most valuable brands in the world, which has been built through years of work. It has to protect that value.
Also, note that this is a new logo for Woolworth’s. Although the article doesn’t say, it is very likely that Apple filed an objection to the logo for usage in the specific categories which overlap Apple’s business.
In other words, this is part of the typical trademark process. An applicant files for a trademark, a notice of pending application is published, and there is an opportunity for anyone to file an objection to the trademark and/or the categories to which it is being applied. This appears to be what Apple is doing. This is NOT a lawsuit.
Omg u wrote a book I bet what u wrote is longer than apples filed complaint.
Guess they don’t teach grammar, spelling, or syntax in pasadena anymore…
Let’s see if they teach reading comprehension…
Apple must protect their logo – but honestly, this case is a bit thin…
I agree that the logo doesn’t look much like Apple’s. It does however have the same basic shape, and they are going to put it on many of the same kind of products that will be sold by Apple. It’s simply brand protection as Bizlaw wrote. Only time will tell if they win, but I doubt that they will lose money over this.
I don’t think the logos are close enough to warrant a suit. I realize Apple must protect their trademark, but I think they are over reaching with this one.
from: anaknipedro
God created the apple
God? We have no need of that hypothesis.
The Woolworth family have a huge estate on my lake, Lake Cobbossee. 600 acres, three large houses. It’s for sale. $4M last I heard.
“It would take a pretty hefty idiot to confuse those two logos.”
Bam! You just named the entire MDN readership.
I think apple has to object to this logo. Keep in mind that putting that logo on electronic devices, it’ll be much smaller in many cases, and less obviously different. Just because it’s obviously different side by side with Apple’s logo, doesn’t mean it will look so different by itself and a smaller size without an actual apple logo to compare it to.
The judge should tell Apple to grow a collective brain. Apple’s lawsuit is as stupid as MS’s attempt to copyright the word windows.
Anyone confusing a green W and stem with Apple’s apple is an ambulance-chasing shyster with a loan payment due on his boat.
The logo is FINE – sans the leaf.
Why would Woolworth’s need that if not to spark ire with Apple?
Explain that, then I’ll decide.
That logo on an cheesy music player will hurt apple brand. Show me any font style where the w has a stem.
Thank Goodness Apple itself has never infringed on a trade name before, especially that of a music company.
@ Sarasota,
Before you show what a dope you are – do some research on the topic…oops, too late.
Guys, read the article. It isn’t the logo in particular that Apple is concerned about.
It’s funny, because the Woolworth’s logo is one that was featured prominently (in a special focus section) in the LogoLounge 5 book, which is one of the premier showcases of new logo designs. They showed how it was designed, various alternates that were considered, etc. Personally I don’t find them close enough in style to be the least bit confusing. But the courts will have to decide.
To those of you who are arguing that this isn’t about the logo, perhaps you should do a Google search regarding Apple’s legal action against GreeNYC!
@Anonymous©
You own a lake? Wow!
This just in: Apple sues your grandmother telling you that “An Apple a day, keeps the doctor away”.
Wow! Lots of AppleHaters here today.
Don’t you guys have a Windows 7 launcher party to set up?