There are ample of luxury brands that have not been successful in a trademark infringement battle filed against Chinese indigenous products. Richemont is the owner of the brand Alfred Dunhill and has been operating in the Chinese market for over a score of years. Recently, Alfred Dunhill Ltd. filed a suit against a China based company named 'Danhuoli'. The suit was filed for trademark infringement and unfair competition practices.
On observing the above shown marks, the infringement is evident as the infringing Danhuoli logo looks similar to Dunhill's original thin, black, and elongated logo with an identical font. In addition to the similarities in the logo, both the brands market products with respect to menswear, footwear and headgears. On investigation conducted during the case, it was found that Danhuoli had registered its name under the shadow of a Hong Kong based company called the 'Dunhill Group' and were actively operating in over 200 franchise stores in nearly 60 cities across China, resulting in huge losses for the original brand of Alfred Dunhill.
The Court ordered the infringing brand Dunhuoli to pay compensation to the tune of USD1.47 Million to Richemont. This case is a landmark judgment and a victory for global brands in China.
Compiled By: Adv. Sachi Kapoor | Concept & Edited By: Dr. Mohan Dewan
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