Tags
Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition, Common Law Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark Dilution, Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, John Jelderks, State Trademark Dilution, Trade Dress Infringement, Trademark Infringement, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Unfair Competition, Unfair Trade Practices
adidas has a long history with Skechers. In 1994, adidas filed suit for trademark infringement over Skechers‘s Karl Kani footwear. The companies entered into a settlement agreement the following year (the “1995 Agreement,” attached below). Under this agreement, Skechers acknowledged that adidas is the exclusive owner of the THREE STRIPE DESIGN, agreed not to use the THREE STRIPE DESIGN or any mark confusingly similar thereto, and agreed to cease distribution of its KARL KANI sport shoe.
Between 2008 and 2013, adidas and Skechers allegedly entered into five separate confidential settlement agreements about infringements and dilutions of the Three-Stripe Mark. This most recent complaint from adidas claims that “notwithstanding the 1995 Agreement and the subsequent 2008-2013 Agreements–and in continuing, blatant disregard of adidas‘s rights–Skechers yet again is . . . selling footwear . . . bearing a confusingly similar imitation of the adidas Marks.”
adidas is especially aggrieved about a shoe that is (allegedly) confusingly similar to their famous Stan Smith shoe and claims that Skechers intends their “Stan Smith Knock-Off” shoe to be confusingly similar to the adidas Trade Dress and offers evidence that the Skechers website included the terms “stan smith” and “adidas original” in the source code.
adidas America Inc. et al v. Skechers USA Inc.
Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-01741-JE
File Date: Monday, September 14, 2015
Plaintiff: adidas America Inc., adidas AG, Adidas International Marketing B.V.
Plaintiff Counsel: Stephen M. Feldman of Perkins Coie LLP
Defendant: Skechers USA Inc.
Cause: Federal Trademark and Trade Dress Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark and Trade Dress Dilution, State Trademark Dilution with respect to the Three-Stripe Mark, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Common Law Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition, Breach of Contract
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Magistrate Judge John Jelderks
Complaint:
1995 Agreement:
Defendant Kraff’s is a retailer operating a clothing store that markets and sells apparel, blankets, and related products in Toppenish, Washington. From approximately 1941 until 2006, Kraff’s was a wholesale customer of Plaintiff. Kraff’s has allegedly continued to purchase product from a Doe defendant after termination of their sales contract with Plaintiff, thus making them an unauthorized reseller of Plaintiff’s goods. Plaintiff brings this lawsuit with numerous copyright claims based on their distinctive designs and trademark claims based on the unauthorized use of their company name.
Oregon Intellectual Property Blog 