Puma Opposes Nike’s “Footware” Trademark Application

Puma Opposes Nike’s “Footware” Trademark Application

Puma has initiated opposition proceedings in connection with Nike’s application to use the word “footware” for use on sneaker-specific software products and services, according to thefashionlaw.com.

Puma’s June 16 opposition filing argues that “footware” is a “merely descriptive” term for technology-driven footwear designs and should not be registered by any company. According to Puma, Nike’s “footware” trademark “is phonetically equivalent to and a misspelling of the word ‘footwear,’” making it “a generic term for products sold in commerce, namely, footwear,” rather than an indicator of a particular source of goods/service that requires a trademark.

The opposition filing comes after Puma in early 2019 sent a “letter of protest” to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) over Nike’s use of the “footware” for similar reasons.