Adidas retracts its opposition to BLM’s three-stripe design trademark

Adidas filed an opposition to block the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement from getting trademark rights to three parallel yellow stripes. But after 48 hours of approaching the Trademark Office, the sportsmaker reversed its course of action.

In a statement, the German sportswear maker said, “Adidas will withdraw its opposition to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's trademark application as soon as possible.”

The three stripes
The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Inc filed for a trademark on its three yellow stripes design in November 2020. It would allow the use of the design on a variety of products including clothing, publications, bags, bracelets and mugs.

BLM is a decade-old social and political movement arising due to police brutality against Black people in the US.

Adidas, in its filing, said its three-stripe logo has been in use since as early as 1952, and BLM’s design damages the brand and creates confusion.

The sneaker giant is known for aggressively safeguarding its three-stripe logo and has filed over 90 lawsuits and signed more than 200 settlements related to its trademark since 2008.

In January, a Manhattan jury found that luxury brand Thom Browne’s fashion collection with stripe designs does not infringe trademark rights of Adidas’ three-stripe logo.