Dive Brief:
- Walmart has filed papers opposing a trademark from Kanye West's Yeezy brand that the retail giant says is too similar to its own "spark" logo and could cause confusion among consumers.
- Yeezy first filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in early 2020. The design consists of eight dotted lines around an empty circle resembling "rays from a sun."
- Last week, Walmart filed a notice of opposition to the trademark requesting that the USTPO refuse to register Yeezy's design.
Dive Insight:
Walmart first used its spark logo in the fall of 2007. Since then, the retailer has deployed it across its sprawling business, from healthcare clinics to installment finance services to drive-in movie theaters.
In its opposition filing to Yeezy's mark, Walmart argued they overlapped too much in the areas where the logo could be used. The company also argued that the goods and services listed in Yeezy's application were "exceedingly numerous." They include everything from decorative magnets to modular metal homes.
Being a massive company operating in numerous markets, Walmart is no stranger to trademark fights. The company has been on the other side of those disputes as well, including when in 2019 it was sued by the airline JetBlue over the logo for Walmart's Jetblack concierge service, since discontinued. Walmart has also been in disputes with Variety Stores, Tattoo Tequila and Samara Brothers, among others.
West's Yeezy brand has been busy growing its name and profile. With a major collaboration with The Gap, the apparel brand has filed a "YZY" logo that resembles Gap's own.
Yeezy has been sued in the past over trademark issues. A hunting apparel maker sued the brand in 2018 for allegedly infringing on its copyrights with a camo pattern used on some of Yeezy's clothing products. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.
An attorney representing Yeezy's trademark application for the sun design challenged by Walmart did not immediately respond to Retail Dive's request for comment.
