What the MAC?
Just recently I read a global Trademark article that surprised me.
This article presents the case of David vs. Goliath, where McDonald’s in the EU was challenged by an Irish fast-food chain called Supermac’s in a legal battle.
What Happened?
McDonald’s recently lost a legal battle in the EU against an Irish fast food chain called Supermac. The conflict started in 2017 when Supermac’s wanted to cancel McDonald’s “Big Mac” trademark in Europe.
Initially, the EU Intellectual Property Office sided with Supermac’s, but McDonald’s appealed, and their “Big Mac” trademark was again protected.
However, a higher court, the General Court of the EU, later ruled that McDonald’s couldn’t exclusively use the “Big Mac” name for their chicken burgers, even though they can still use it for their beef burgers.
“This is a great victory for business in general and stops bigger companies from “Trademark Bullying” by not allowing them to hoard Trademarks without using them” – Pat McDonagh | Owner of Supermac’s
Additionally, I found that the European Court of Justice ruled that McDonald’s could not prove that it had continuously used the trademark for five years in a row.
If you enjoy Trademark Teas like this join me on July 29-August 2 for Secure The Brand Summit! Visit our IG page to know more!
