China may be good at making products. However, choosing a logo or trademark for the same does not seem to be its forte. Or so it seems.
A week back, Apple lost a trademark battle in Beijing when it sued Xintong Tiandi, a Chinese leather accessories manufacturer who has been using the ‘IPHONE’ embossed logo on all its products. The court ruled in favor of Xintong Tiandi, leaving Apple in dire straits.
To make matters worse, China recently blocked Apple iTunes and iBooks, initiating the company’s downward trajectory.
Same story, but different verdict for Facebook.
Although the social media platform in blocked in China, a Beijing court has ruled in favor of Facebook and against a Chinese company which had registered “Face Book” as a trademark. The court said that the said firm Zhongshan Pearl River company had “violated moral principles” and has copied its trademark from Facebook.
Perhaps China has decided to go soft on Facebook after its founder Mark Zuckerberg wooed the country well during his March visit.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook too will pay a visit to Beijing this month. He will meet the government officials and Chinese policy makers in an effort to boost the sales of Apple products and services in China.
However, it remains to be seen if he is as good as Zuckerberg when it comes to courting the Chinese.
Meanwhile, the duplication of Western trademarks and logos seems to be unstoppable.
A week ago, Uncle Martian, a Chinese company, unveiled its range of sports shoes. This again was a rip-off of Under Armour, an American brand. Obviously, Under Armour is determined to take action.
“Under Armour is aware of the Uncle Martian launch event. Uncle Martian’s uses of Under Armour’s famous logo, name, and other intellectual property are a serious concern and blatant infringement. Under Armour will vigorously pursue all business and legal courses of action,” Under Armour told Fortune in an e-mail interview.