{"id":9687,"date":"2021-12-01T08:55:10","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T08:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/?p=9687"},"modified":"2021-12-01T08:55:12","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T08:55:12","slug":"non-conventional-trademark-in-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/non-conventional-trademark-in-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"Non-conventional Trademark in Sports: An overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Intellectual\nproperty law, specifically trademarks, has a long history with sports and\nsports teams. It is advantageous for a sportsperson to seek trademark\nprotection to generate more cash, particularly for athletes whose careers are\nlikely to be temporary. In sports, merchandising, franchising, and branding all\nplay a significant role as additional revenue sources. In this article, we&#8217;ll\nlook at several non-traditional (unconventional) sports trademarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2e543c772dc\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2e543c772dc\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/non-conventional-trademark-in-sports\/#What_are_Non-conventional_Trademarks\" title=\"What are Non-conventional Trademarks?\">What are Non-conventional Trademarks?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/non-conventional-trademark-in-sports\/#Registration_of_Non-conventional_Trademark_in_sports\" title=\"Registration of Non-conventional Trademark in\nsports\">Registration of Non-conventional Trademark in\nsports<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/non-conventional-trademark-in-sports\/#Non-Conventional_Trademark_in_Sports\" title=\"Non-Conventional Trademark in Sports\">Non-Conventional Trademark in Sports<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/non-conventional-trademark-in-sports\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion&nbsp;\">Conclusion&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_Non-conventional_Trademarks\"><\/span>What are Non-conventional Trademarks?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In\nIndia, a &#8216;trademark&#8217; is defined as a mark capable of being displayed visually,\none that can distinguish between one person&#8217;s goods or services and those of another,\naccording to&nbsp;<strong>section 2(ZB) of the Trademark Act 1999<\/strong>. Hence, a\ntrademark is a vital intellectual property that allows customers to identify a\nproduct and a firm. In essence, trademarks foster trust, loyalty, and\nconfidence among consumers who feel that a particular trademark will deliver\nthe highest quality goods. Scroll down to check more about the Non-conventional\nTrademark in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditionally, trademarks have been defined as signs, labels, logos, and word\/s that differentiate one entity&#8217;s product from another. On the other hand, Trademarks are sometimes misconstrued to mean just signs, labels, logos, and slogans. However, it&#8217;s somewhat restricted definition in the context of the growing scope and relevance of intellectual property law worldwide. As a result, in addition to standard trademarks, several non-traditional trademarks have been introduced in both developed and developing countries. Furthermore, the <strong>Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS<\/strong><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wto.org\/english\/tratop_e\/trips_e\/trips_e.htm\" class=\"text-primary\"><strong>[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/sup><strong>)<\/strong> recognizes various types of trademarks. As a result, trademarks can be anything from a color to a fragrance to a sound to a shape to a video. Non-traditional marks are the name given to these types of trademarks. The Non-conventional trademarks that have been successfully registered on a global scale are listed below. These are the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Holograms;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Shape marks;<\/li><li>Color marks;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Smell marks;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Sound marks;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Multimedia marks;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Touch and texture marks;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Taste marks;<\/li><li>Gesture marks;<\/li><li>Holograms; Shape marks; etc<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Registration_of_Non-conventional_Trademark_in_sports\"><\/span>Registration of Non-conventional Trademark in\nsports<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Non-conventional\ntrademark registration is a complicated process. The following are the two most\ncrucial requirements that must be met if you want to register an atypical\ntrademark: Examination of the mark&#8217;s uniqueness; and graphical representation\nof the trademark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ndemand for Non-conventional trademark in sports registration is now relatively\nlow, as graphical representation of such a brand is quite challenging.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Non-Conventional_Trademark_in_Sports\"><\/span>Non-Conventional Trademark in Sports<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>We will now explore how traditional and unusual trademarks have benefited athletes and various sports clubs. Usain Bolt&#8217;s pose mark, &#8220;the lightning bolt,&#8221; is the most well-known example of a registered unusual trademark in the sports business. Usain Bolt is an olympic sprinter who competes in a variety of events. He is known as &#8220;the fastest man on the planet&#8221; and has multiple trademarks registered across the world to protect his name, signature, and slogans.<\/li><li>&#8216;Vicht&#8217; was the most well-known <a href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/trademark-registration\" class=\"text-primary\"><strong>trademark registration<\/strong><\/a> issue of the movement. Niclas Kroon, a tennis player, registered the trademark &#8216;Vicht,&#8217; a symbol in which she closed her palm in the shape of a duck beak.<\/li><li>In the case of the scent mark, another important decision was handed down in the United States in 2003, which addressed the problem of trademarking the applicant&#8217;s smell mark. While the court did not award registration for the mark, it set forth numerous parameters that would allow for the registration of unusual marks.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Practical difficulties faced by\nsports industry in context of Non-conventional Trademark<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now,\nas can be seen from the examples above, the successful registration of\nunconventional trademarks in sports is sporadic in India. The reasons for this\nare graphical representation and distinctiveness, both of which are statutory\nrequirements for successfully registering an unconventional trademark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Graphical\nRepresentation&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nfirst and most significant component in registering a distinctive trademark is\na pictorial representation, which can also be a significant stumbling block.\nThis can be accomplished by either explaining the movement in great detail or\nusing a visual medium such as a photograph or sketch. Furthermore, while\napplying, the athlete or team should ensure that the graphical representation&#8217;s\nintelligibility, precision, clarity, durability, accessibility, and objectivity\nhave been taken into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Distinctiveness&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Distinctiveness\/uniqueness\nis another condition for registering a distinctive trademark successfully. The athlete\nshould ensure that his trademark is distinct and, more critically, that it does\nnot cause public confusion with other items or services in the same trademark\nclassification as the one it intends to cover. Distinctiveness is a term that\ncomes with experience. A short amount of time is insufficient to establish a\ntrademark&#8217;s distinctiveness. It can also be used to prove that a mark has\nacquired distinctiveness in a case of trademark infringement or passing off.\nConsequently, it has become extremely difficult to register a move,\nparticularly for athletes, because there is no past use of the move\/action\nattributed to the player demonstrating the mark&#8217;s distinctness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We want to conclude here that, Non-conventional Trademark in sports in India is hard to register. The discussion above of Non-conventional trademarks in sports demonstrates that India has far less successful registrations of Non-conventional trademarks in sports than the European Union. Graphic representation of such a mark, distinctiveness\/uniqueness concerning the mark, and insufficient instruments to portray the trademark visually are the most significant obstacles to the successful registration of non-traditional trademarks. As a result, it is difficult for the Indian government to catch up with modern marketing strategies that use colors, forms, fragrances, and sound to distinguish their goods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-left\"><b>Read our Article<\/b>:<mark style=\"background: #fffd03 !important;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/dilution-doctrine-under-trademark-law\/\">Dilution Doctrine under Trademark Law: An Overview\n<\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Intellectual property law, specifically trademarks, has a long history with sports and sports teams. It is advantageous for a sportsperson to seek trademark protection to generate more cash, particularly for athletes whose careers are likely to be temporary. In sports, merchandising, franchising, and branding all play a significant role as additional revenue sources. In this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[72],"tags":[930],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9687"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9687"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9695,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9687\/revisions\/9695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}