Yahoo Finance Adidas backtracks in row with Black Lives Matter over three-stripe logo
Adidas has dropped a legal challenge to Black Lives Matter in a row over the political group's logo.
The German sportswear retailer has backtracked on attempts to stop Black Lives Matter from releasing clothes and bags featuring three parallel stripes.
Adidas said it would be withdrawing its opposition to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's trademark application as soon as possible, without giving a reason.
Reports suggest insiders had become concerned that the opposition could be misinterpreted as criticism of Black Lives Matter's mission.
It comes just days after Adidas first objected to attempts by the US group to trademark a logo.
The federal trademark, which the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation applied for in November 2020, covered a yellow three-stripe design which the group was planning to use on a range of products including clothing, publications, bags, bracelets and mugs.
Adidas told the US trademark office in a filing on Monday that the political group’s logo would create confusion with its own three-stripe mark.
In the filing, it argued that the customers would think products featuring the Black Lives Matter design were connected to Adidas or came from the same source. The German manufacturer said it has used its three stripe logo from as early as 1952, and that the design has since gained “international fame and tremendous public recognition”.
Adidas did not give a reason for withdrawing the opposition. Black Lives Matter did not respond to requests for comment.
Adidas has filed over 90 lawsuits and signed more than 200 settlement agreements related to the three-stripe trademark since 2008, Reuters reported.
In January, a New York jury found that luxury designer Thom Browne's stripe patterns did not violate Adidas' trademark rights.
