The lawsuit concerned the word mark “Purosangue,” specifically the fact that a non-profit organization has n using the disputed name for about seven years. What was the idea and motive behind Ferrari’s actions? Well, the sports car manufacturer intends to launch a new SUV model in 2022, which will be named “Purosangue.” The disputed name translates to “pure blood” or “thoroughbred,” which is certainly related to the activities of the foundation being sued. The organization undoubtedly pursues noble goals, as evidenced by, among other things, the organization of running camps in Kenya and the funding of various health studies for the elderly. The main arguments raised in the lawsuit are that the non-profit organization has not actually used the disputed mark for the past five years. According to the Italian company, this fact cannot justify exclusive rights to use the name “Purosangue.”
In response to Ferrari’s legal action, representatives of the foundation stated that the disputed trademark was registered by them in 2013, among other things, for clothing and other similar products. Furthermore, the defendant’s lawyer pointed out that there is a great deal of evidence of the foundation using the disputed trademark, which is confirmed, among other things, by their ongoing cooperation with the Adidas clothing brand (production of clothing and footwear), which is also a sponsor of the foundation. In addition, the statement indicates that the non-profit organization attempted to negotiate with the Italian car manufacturer, but due to a lack of agreement on this matter, the registration of the trademark for the new Ferrari model was blocked.
Unfortunately, no one received a response from the spokesperson of the Italian group, so the court’s decision must be awaited until March 2020.
Once again, it can be seen that Ferrari’s PR is working in almost the opposite direction to the quality of the cars they produce. Currently, the company in the automotive industry is perceived as arrogant, which clearly confirms that the brand’s image in the media is steadily deteriorating.
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